EXHIBITION OF MOSAIC ART AT THE MORMON CENTER IN JERUSALEM

While visiting the Mormon Center in Jerusalem (see last post) a wonderful Israeli/Palestinian exhibition of artful works of mosaics was on display in one of the beautiful arched halls.

"The art of mosaic described in Wikipedia as the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone or other materials.
Tesserae (borrowed from the Greek word "pebble") of small pieces, normally roughly cubic, of stone or glass of various colors, are used to create a pattern or picture.

Mosaic is very much in vogue today, despite the tendency to consider it rather a craft than an art form. Perhaps it is difficult to accept the fact that mosaics often have a dual function, i.e. as artistic design as well as floor and wall covering, and also because it is a very accessible and non elitist form of creativity. However, the field is rich with new ideas and approaches, insuring mosaic an honored place among other art forms, as this exhibition bears out.

The idea for the exhibition grew from the desire to use our beautiful hall to exhibit diverse forms of art....

....The fourteen participating artists were given a theme: to create their own mosaic based on an ancient one found in our region, thus giving it their own personal reading. As can be seen from the results, the artists' imagination flared, and the diverse interpretations display a wealth of human expressions. Some adhered closely to the origin, while others went further afield from the prototype. Some of the works were made using the ancient classical method, and also the reversed method was used, gluing the stones on a temporary base and after pouring a backing, turning the mosaic over.......

....The exhibit itself is a mosaic of genders, ages, nationalities, religions and ideas suited to this art form and to the building that hosts it."

Those are excerpts from the flier of explanation, laid out to read at the exhibition. 

 
I did not match the names of the artists to the photos, simply because I did not write them down. Just get an impression of some of the fantastic pieces on display. They are all beautiful and exceptional. If you live near by do yourself a favor and go to visit!