The possibilities of mosaic art in the field of large-scale decoration were not exhausted in the 1930s, when mosaics were chosen as the favourite language to embody the rigorous, monumental spirit of the time, and during the past three decades, its language has taken on a leading role in public art projects, not only worldwide but also in Italy. This is due to its original bond with architecture, but also owing to exceptional possibilities offered by this ancient medium, reinterpreted in the light of contemporary demands and the new technical and technological solutions that allow for entirely original and out of the ordinary effects.
In this way, mosaic art interprets the impelling need to tell a story and to return to matter in its physical nature, symbolizing a dimension of temporality that invites people to slow down and pause for reflection.
A mosaic may be chosen as a public artwork because it is a language that is suitable for works that are often of monumental size and above all site-specific; it is also versatile, particularly resistant, bright and durable.
Notable examples in Italy include the works in the city of Ravenna, starting from the public park Parco della Pace, as well as those in the Rome Metro and the art stations in the Naples Metro, with its vast mosaics by key figures of the Transavantgarde, among others. Here, we will mention only the Toledo station in Naples for its gigantic site-specific mosaics by William Kentridge and the famous Crater de luz designed by Oscar Tusquets Blanca, in which Bisazza’s mosaic expands beyond all possible boundaries and creates an exceptional environmental installation of enormous iconic power, a triumphant mixture of blues, also thanks to its interaction with Relative Light, with its hundreds of small, bright LED lights installed by Robert Wilson.
Mosaic art id, therefore, particularly suitable for public artworks born from the need to enhance the aesthetic appeal of cities, conveying new messages of beauty.