Exhibiting Now in Chartres: MOSAÏZM

Meet the very talented group of young, European mosaic artists known as "Mosaïzm."

 Julian Modica  Frank Zappa  2009 60 x 60c Smalti

Winner, 2011 Orsoni Prize

We first became acquainted with Mosaïzm in Italy during RavennaMosaico 2011 this past October.  During the crush of Notte d'Oro, we met two Mosaizm members - 2011 Orsoni Prize winner Julian Modica and Ruth Minola Scheibler who was showing in the Works of the Word exhibit.  Later that same evening we picked up a copy of the collective's book/catalog, Mosaïzm, flipped it open to the Introduction and were immediately engaged:

While words ending in "ism" refers to a belief system, a movement, a philosophical or moral doctrine, Mosaïzm refers to a way of life dominated by mosaic in all its different forms.  For us, mosaic is a way to express ourselves, artistically and professionally.

Ruth Minola Scheibler 2009 Nightflight  80 x 25 cm  

Smalti, gold, ceramic, coloured mirror.

Everything that we have seen of Mosaizm since then has been equally as articulate, intelligent, innovative, thoughtful and passionate.  We are absolutely hooked on their creative energy, artistic excellence and committed solidarity.

Francien Jongsma  Jesus  2008  150 x 280 cm  

Riverstones, gold smalti, cement.

Mosaïzm began as of a group of friends who graduated from the Scuola Mosaicist del Friuli in Italy between 2001 and 2006.  The collective can be characterized as a very tight-knit, philosophically and artistically aligned cadre of professionals that – even with their strong individual artistic voices – have a startlingly cohesive vision of who they are and what they want to achieve.  This excerpt from their book could easily be called their Manifesto: 

We are part of a new generation of mosaicists that believe in the future of craft. We respect tradition yet strive to innovate. We want to challenge and confront the normal, the accepted and the expected. We want mosaic to travel, grow and be an art form in itself as well as an applied art.

Seven of the eight members of Mosaïzm are showing now through February 12th in at the Chapelle Saint-Èman Chartres, France in an exhibit organized by Association 3R. 

In this article, we'll take a look at the exhibit and briefly introduce each of the artists showing.  If you are anywhere close to Chartres, go.  If you can't see these works in person, we highly recommend their book which is available for sale online.   

All of these very fine mosaics are for sale.  If you are interested in purchasing any of them, email this address at any time:  mosaizm@mosaizm.com.  Someone will get back to you right away.

Melaine Lanoë (France)

 Homage A Zao Wou-Ki  2011  

65 x 90 cm  Ceramics, stones, shells

Like many other Mosaïzm members, Melaine Lanoë is an accomplished restorer of the classical, figurative mosaics made of colored and gold smalti found in the cathedral's of Europe.  For her own work, however, she works in the abstract, using organic materials like those found in Homage A Zao Woui-Ki and Contemplation.

I harvest them (materials) from the 'earth's storehouse', choose them carefully for their colour, their shape, their vein , their sheen.  I orchestrate them in abstract compositions, creating vibrant surfaces with dancing textures.

Contemplation 2009 121 x 104 cm  Ceramic, stone

Anna Rommel (Germany)

In 2009, Ms. Rommel began experimenting on combining mosaics with concrete.  We very much like the way she has used concrete as a sort of visual "pun" as the background for Green Fish and Funky Fish. 

Green Fish  2009  60 x 65 cm  Smalti, concrete.

We also appreciate how these flat, dark matte backgrounds showcase her skill at leveraging the reflective properties of the smalti.  Here is humor, drama and depth all at the same time.  Charming.

Funky Fish  2009  25 x 50 cm  Concrete, stained glass, smalti

Ruth Minola Scheibler (Germany)

David Bowie  2011  40 x 40 cm  Smalti, concrete

Ruth Minola Scheibler has used an extremely effective minimalist approach in this portrait of David Bowie.  It captures the performer during his "Berlin era" – that period of time when he literally cleaned up his act, giving up the self-destructive Ziggy Stardust persona to save his career and his life. 

Nightflight  2009  80 x 25 cm  Smalti, gold, ceramic, coloured mirror.

The artist also has a great affinity for the creatures of the earth and that shines in Nightflight and a number of other works.

I want to transport my affection and curiosity towards biodiversity and its behavior, like a snap-shot of my time, my planet and the culture I am part of, like a snap-shot of life.

Marie-Laure Besson (France)

Fragment 1 2011  148 x 26 x 3.5 cm  Pebbles, gold smalti, semi-precious stones

Marie-Laure Besson's work beguiles us with her selection of materials and shapes.  Fragment 1 shimmers and shivers on the wall, while Fragments IV-1 appears a portal into an orderly cosmos.

Fragments IV-1  2011 39 x 22 x 3 cm  Pebbles

Being a mosaic artist nowadays and trying to life from one's art is like swimming against the tide in this high-speed society.

Julian Modica (Germany)

Julian Modica's work is unique.  Very unique.  In both his portraits and his abstracts, Modica employs a two-on-two tesserae pattern that we haven't seen anywhere else.

Frank Zappa  2009 60 x 60c Smalti

Winner, 2011 Orsoni Prize

. . . an ancient Roman floor pattern gave me the inspiration to create the basis for many of my recent pieces.  It is a simple four-stone combination, dating to the 2nd century b.C. that I apply with as many colors and as many combinations as my brain can handle.

 

M  2009  156 x 103 cm  Smalti

We find it hard to get our brains around both Modica's use of his signature design element and his astonishing use of color. 

Matko Kezele  (Croatia)

We are especially fond of Matko Kezele's small, intimate portrait of German cabaret star Marya Delvard.  The weathered wood  of the frame references a star's aging glamor.  Is this a mirror image we see?  Are those her earrings?

 

 Marya Delvard  2009  18.5 x 23 cm  Smalti, glass, marble, mirror, murrine

 Ink  2011  45 x 45 cm  Stained glass, concrete

Kezele has devoted a great part of the past seven years of his life to promoting mosaic art in his native Croatia, creating events, exhibits and classes that have brought the art form to thousands.  Remember that Manifesto?  Kezele is living it.

Francien Jongsma (Netherlands)

Francien Jongsma's Jesus is a gentle presence made of stone.  Jongsma uses negative space to create an ethereal portrait with eyes that draw one in.

Jesus  2008  150 x 280 cm  

Riverstones, gold smalti, cement

As a counterpoint to this masterwork in Chartres, Jongsma is also showing a series of small, joyful mosaics that are based on the drawings of children. Delighful.

 Simone  2010  31 x 31 cm  Natural stone, gold smalti

As we said at the beginning of this article, we highly recommend a trip to Chartres to see this exhibit.  The works we have shown here are but a very small portion of the entire show.

In her artist statement in the book Mosaïzm, Francien Jongsma captures the spirit of the collective and what it means to her as an artist . . . 

 Being part of Mosaïzm means being able to work with different people in different countries on different projects in an atmosphere of joy, respect and friendship.  Thanks to the ongoing process of mutual inspiration and the exchange of our personal experiences, I continue to grow and develop more and more towards becoming an all around mosaicist.

Again, all of these very fine mosaics are for sale.  If you are interested in purchasing any of them, email this address at any time:  mosaizm@mosaizm.com.  Someone will get back to you right away.  If a mosaic isn't in your immediate future, then buy do buy the book.  You won't be sorry.

Enjoy –  Nancie

More

• Mosaïzm
• To order Mosaïzm the book click here
• Exhibit information here
• Marie-Laure Besson
• Francien Jongsma
• Matko Kezele
• Melaine Lanoe
• Julian Modica
• Anna Rommel
• Ruth Minola Scheibler
• Mosaïzm's eighth member, Andrea Besana

Photos courtesy of the artists