mosaic art now - 2010 exhibition in print

Exhibition in Print2010

MOSAIC ART NOW

60 Mosaic Art NOW No. 3 2010 61Mosaic Art Now No. 3 2010

Given that the history of mosaic art began more than 4,000 years ago and many works of mosaic art stand

as some of the most enduring icons of art history, it is surprising just how many people today continue to think of mosaic making as the work of craftspeople rather than artists. Yet one only has to look to the beauty of the Greek wall decorations at Pompeii, Roman floor mosaics, the shimmering splendor of Byzantine interiors, and the organic undulations of Antoni Gaudí’s Art Nouveau creations at Park Güell to be certain that mosaics can, and do, aspire to the highest echelons of human expression.

The lingering assumption that mosaics are craft stems in part from the fact that much mosaic art is not only visual, but utilitarian, and meant to bedeck floors, walls, ceilings, and the exterior of buildings. Yet painted murals perform many of these same functions, and few would argue that paintings, by virtue of their being incorporated into architecture, are not art. Others have belittled the mosaic medium by saying that the technique is simply too accessible, believing it to be an activity that anyone can participate in.

To be sure, most of us made mosaics as children, often using dried beans, cut paper, and other objects found around the house. Yet few of us have gone beyond these humble beginnings. Of the practitioners that have, even fewer have taken their craft to the level of art. All of the pieces included here were made by artists—ones who have added to the mosaic tradition and pushed its boundaries, each time making abundantly evident that the art form is alive and well.

To create art, conception and execution are equally required. In other words, some artists have ideas; others have technique. Those that bring both to the fore and can do it consistently are the artists. The medium itself matters little. It is the mastery of that medium, regardless of genre or utility, that his important. This technical mastery is a necessity. Without it, the end result is compromised—no matter how good the idea.

As in the case of other traditional “craft” media such as glass, clay, and wood, mosaic artists have in recent decades begun to re-emerge in force internationally, which the beautiful diversity of production included here makes evident. As juror, it was my intent to try to show the breadth of global talent that submitted to this competition

and, fortunately, excellent work was submitted in all techniques and styles. The artworks I chose to include exemplify a broad range of trends. Landscapes, figures, and pure abstractions were all worthy of inclusion. Flat works and objects in three-dimensions were both skillfully executed. Perhaps ironically—for a medium known for its functionality—very few of the mosaics submitted were meant to be used. One of these was selected, Don’t Cut Your Tounge on the Rhinestones, a vintage cash drawer ornamented with myriad tiles and found objects. A jewelry box extraordinaire, its usability nevertheless plays a minor role; this object is truly purposed to make viewers smile.

Other artists found humor and whimsy in their medium and attained it by appropriating the past. These artists did not simply copy their sources, however, but used them as points of departure to make social comment and invoke nostalgia and a sense of innocence lost. The glitzy Miss Willendorf uses mosaic to fashion an updated, and far more secular, version of an ancient fertility idol, a comment on the consumerism and superficiality of contemporary society. Spaghetti Western appropriates kitsch by adapting and then embellishing a 1950s paint-by-number cowboy and bucking bronco. Surrounding this central image with ashtrays, belt buckles, toy guns, and spurs, the artist has created a pop icon that simultaneously oozes nostalgia and critiques consumer culture. White Rabbit also looks nostalgically at the past, but with a less cynical edge. With painstaking and gorgeous attention to detail, the artist turns to childhood literature to remind us of the frenzied pace of our own lives through that of the late-running hare.

All of the artists whose work is depicted were true to their medium and exploited its unique expressive potential, and all of them brought depth and diversity to their pieces by using tesserae in a range of materials, shapes, and sizes. The work titled Ramblings focuses on the rich beauty of the artist’s materials, combining an infinitude of glass, semi-precious stones, millefiori, and smalti to create a lush abstraction that seems to have evolved organically and yet results in a remarkably cohesive whole. Others took advantage of their medium’s ability to assume three dimensions by richly layering forms, as in the case of Bull’s Eye and also Notturno, both of which breach the picture plane into luscious sweeping forms and patterns. Keep Me Warm uses this same approach but with a more homespun

Curator’s Statement

result. Rippling mosaic squares become the drapery folds of a quilt that figuratively offers a traditional sense of family and community. In Primavera, flowers and leaves grow organically beyond the picture plane to culminate in a sculptural, blue-eye-shadowed Mother Nature and bird.

Other artists omitted backgrounds altogether, creating sculpture in the round. Late Bloomer, Geology, and Meredith each look to nature for inspiration, finding harmony and universality in its microcosm. Late Bloomer is cocoon-like, incorporating silk fibers into the “skin” of a pod that also includes shells, turquoise, and gemstones. Geology delves beyond the earth’s strata to allow us to peer into hidden realms. Meredith evokes the bark of an ancient tree, the gorgeousness of the glass tiles both revealed and obscured by the mortar, which plays an integral in this complex, and yet very subtle, piece.

Other artists approached their mosaic layers not as sculptors, but almost as painters. Carterton Lily Pond and Familiar Ground offer new takes on old subjects, yet are distinguished by the freshness of their approach. Familiar Ground takes landscape representation into conceptual realms through its incorporation of materials gathered from the Wisconsin site that is depicted. A more abstract approach to nature is evident in Sidonea Menageria, a tree of life that boasts watch-bellied birds perching on its gnarled branches. February Morning, Paris also features trees, but these are hauntingly barren, contributing to the paramount sense of loneliness of a nearly deserted Parisian street.

Quite apart from the tranquility and quietude of these images, No! and Maria provide two very different, although equally disturbing, takes on contemporary life, each with elements of humor. While No! suggests through the actions of a child a universal human frustration at our lack of control over politics, the system, and our destiny, Maria evokes through a robotic goddess the future itself, one in which we have lost our humanity to technology and the machine.

As these pieces make evident, mosaics are as diverse an art form as any other and at once contribute to and participate in international aesthetic trends. It is my hope that the pieces selected here prove as inspirational and eye-opening to the readers of this magazine as they were to me. Distinguished by a synthesis of original approach, technical realization, and formal achievement reflecting the personal creative vision of the artist, each piece, in its unique way, brings new vitality and contemporary perspectives to this ancient and enduring medium.

Scott A. Shields, Ph.D.Associate Director and Chief CuratorCrocker Art Museum, Sacramento

About the Exhibition in Print

When we thought last year about possible enhancements to the Mosaic Gallery feature

of Mosaic Art NOW, we knew we wanted to do something bigger, better, bolder. We wanted to do everything we could to present mosaics as fine art. We looked to our own jaw-dropping, never forgotten experiences at art exhibits for inspiration. What had made those particular museum/gallery visits so special?

Our list started with the phrase great art and quickly progressed to selective, a cohesive body of work, curator commentary, interesting artist statements, the ability to linger over a piece and return for closer investigation, something is learned, and finally, the ability to purchase. So, we set out to do all those things – in print. Here is how things transpired:

Step One: Attract submissions from mosaic artists. A prize for Best in Show was determined. We created an on-line submittal process. The opportunity to submit work was announced in mosaic circles around the world. Press releases and fliers went to museums and schools. And we crossed our fingers. By deadline, 301 artists from 26 countries had submitted 528 mosaics for consideration.

Step Two: Secure the services of an art professional with high-quality credentials in judging and curating. We approached Dr. Shields, Chief Curator of the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, California. The exhibition was explained. Dr. Shields found the opportunity intriguing. A professional fee for his service was agreed upon. We had our curator.

Step Three: Execute a fair jurying process. The jurying process was designed to meet the standards of Dr. Shields and the expectations of submitting artists. Each work was assigned a random number for blind identification purposes. Dr. Shields used three different media in his multiple reviews of each mosaic: prints, digital images, and large-screen projections. When he had narrowed his candidates down to a manageable number, Dr. Shields used a table and the prints to create an “exhibition” that was both cohesive and representative of the various genres within the art form. He then selected the Best in Show mosaic.

Step Four: “Hang” the exhibit. As you will see on the following pages, we created two-page layouts for each work with multiple, high-resolution photographs. Artists were offered editorial assistance with their statements and photographs. Finally, we put together the Artist Information/Price Sheet you see at the end of the exhibit. We will be replicating the sheet online. Our hope is that soon there will be “red dots” next to all available mosaics.

We hope you enjoy the Exhibition in Print half as much we enjoyed putting it together. In the process, we discovered several marvelous new artists, had some interesting conversations about the nature of mosaics, and were able to go behind the scenes in a jurying process conducted by a professional.

And to all the artists who submitted works, grazie mille.