Magnificent Mosaics: Reading their Landscape

By the Abbeyfeale Active Retired Group

and mosaicist Deborah Birmingham

This mosaic exhibition is the culmination of a process, which covered design, colour composition, the rules of the Roman andamento method, and the use of ancient and modern mosaic tools. During this time, the group entered a world of ancient craftwork.

These mosaics were made in the ancient Roman, reverse, andamento method. This involved cutting, shaping, and laying each tesserae (piece) deliberately, in order to guide their flow and movement. Andamento applies principles of art, directs the eye, and creates a visual flow. It can be classical, static, dynamic, or abstract, giving the eye direction without the viewer realising it.

 Each tesserae was placed upside down (in the reverse method), on brown paper, with temporary adhesive. This method allows for changes and corrections along the way, before carefull placement onto its permanent base. Learning to use both ancient and modern tools with the hammer and hardie and nippers, took practice, fun was had, and no fingers were lost! The cement substrate infill which border the mosaics, both soften and solidify the edges, lending a unity to the collective exhibition.

 These mosaics are a landscape of vibrant colours, classic black and white monotone, and multiple materials, textures, and designs. However, each mosaic has its own narrative though the choice of design and materiality used. The cohesiveness and unity of this exhibition of individual mosaics, translate in part, because the rules and purpose of design were applied. These mosaics, while technical, are also about embracing the irregularities and imperfections.

Once learned, a good mosaic can be read.

Deborah Birmingham