Minton Floor Revealed
7-22 January 2012

Great Hall, St George's, Liverpool

This January 2012 don’t miss a rare opportunity to view the exquisite handcrafted Minton tiled floor in the Great Hall.

The beautifully preserved Minton tiles will be unveiled for visitors to enjoy, they are very rarely revealed, so a magnificent treat for visitors in the New Year.

The mosaic masterpiece consists of 30,000 Minton tiles – depicting tritons, sea nymphs, and boys on dolphins, as well as the city’s coat of arms.

The floor was originally laid in 1852, but was covered over in the 1860s by a raised wooden floor surface to enable dancing and events to take place in the hall, whilst preserving and protecting the tiles. Unveilings are rare so don’t miss this wonderful and unique chance to see this hidden wonder.

Daily 7th Jan – 22nd Jan
10am – 5pm
Admission £1
Under 16 free
Entrance via Heritage Centre (St John’s Lane)

Tours of the building will also be available.
For more information please see www.stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk
Or call 0151 225 6909

Photo by Christopher Furlong, Getty Images

---

 

ITALIAN ART AND DESIGN INSPIRES
GIARDINO VENEZIANO:
AN ARTISTIC INSTALLATION IN CENTRAL LONDON (December 2011 – March 2011)

 

Giardino Veneziano is the creative result of a unique collaboration between Animali Domestici and Antoni Malinowski.

Animali Domestici is the Italian duo Fabrizio Palmas and Adelmo Lorenzi. Driven by love for fine 20th century and contemporary Italian art and design pieces such as furniture, lights and objects, Animali Domestici source particular items exclusively in Italy. Many pieces are of historical importance and difficult to find. Their unique collection is on display in their London showroom.

Antoni Malinowski is a London-based artist who works internationally. Malinowski explores the emotive and physical properties of colour. Through his creations, he investigates the dynamic relationship that exists between pictorial and architectural spaces and makes temporary and permanent interventions into buildings using any available surface. He is recently completed a painterly installation in the foyer areas of the new Bush Theatre (opened 10 October 2011).

In the exhibition these two creative dedicates present Giardino Veneziano in the London-based Animali Domestici showroom. Inspired by a shared passion for the Venetian tradition of making coloured glass, they will unveil a site-specific installation consisting of several specially made by Antoni pieces within the architectural context of the Animali Domestici showroom. Using traditional Orsoni mosaic glass in an innovative way, Malinowski will make 3-D wall mounted pieces placed like a painting installation around the room, celebrating the art of craftsmanship through colour, texture and imagination.

Each piece is a uniquely shaped hand-painted surface, painted in a variety of abstracted foliage referencing the history of the Venetian tradition of painted furniture or wooden panelling where the leaf motif was often used. On top of the painted surface randomly broken pieces of Orsoni mosaic glass are carefully placed, creating strong, dynamic jolts of colour. Placed around the windows, above doors or in other unusual wall spaces these pieces create an installation reminiscent of a mysterious Venetian garden. All these pieces will be for sale and commissions will be undertaken.

The Animali Domestici London office is in a Victorian grade II listed building in South London. The Showroom can be viewed by appointment. Items are available for purchase, and for promotional activities.

www.animalidomestici.co.uk


About Antoni Malinowski
Lives in London and graduated from Chelsea College of Art in 1982. Past London-based exhibitions and projects include a glass mosaic on the façade of Eric Parry’s building at Maddox Street (2009), The Polish Connection – an installation at Dulwich Picture Gallery (2009) and the wall painting at the Royal Court in collaboration with Haworth Tompkins Architects (1999).

www.antonimalinowski.co.uk

For further information please contact Sioban Ketelaar or Laura Berman at Caro Communications.
Email: sioban@carocommunications.com / laurab@carocommunications.com
Call: +44 (0)20 7713 9388 / Direct: +44 (0)20 7427 264

---

Chedworth Roman mosaics to go on display

One of the longest in-situ Roman mosaics in Britain is to go on display for the first time in 150 years at Chedworth Roman Villa, Gloucestershire.

BBC News Gloucestershire
27 December 2011

Archaeologists uncovered the mosaic and others as part of a £3m redevelopment. They said they had known for many years there were more than those already on display inside two Victorian-built timber sheds. The mosaics will go on show inside a new conservation shelter at the site, which is owned by the National Trust.

National Trust archaeologist Martin Papworth said the mosaics had been seen and noted during Victorian excavations. "Only two areas were put on display under the old shelters," he said. "However, when we did some work to check on their condition we were concerned that frost and weather were affecting them and it was agreed they could be better protected by building a new environmentally controlled shelter over that whole section of the villa and excavating them for display."

The mosaics include one of the longest in-situ corridor mosaics in the country, which is 35m (115ft) long. It will go on display under a special walkway allowing visitors to walk just above the Roman floor. One remaining section of the corridor mosaic will be excavated next summer.

Conservator Chris Cleere said: "The mosaics were wet when they were excavated and now they are safe inside the new building we will let them dry out and see what happens. Then we can assess what type of work we need to do over next summer for the long term conservation. In the short term we will clean the mosaics, stabilise them and prepare them for display to the first visitors."

The new conservation shelter, a redeveloped visitor facility and a new education centre will be officially opened on 4 March.

---

Mosaic artworks go on display in "Green Garden"

More than 125 mosaics can be found in the sunken garden on Loch Promenade, Douglas, Isle of Man

by Tessa Hawley
isleofman.com
August 2011

They are part of an initiative called "Garey Glass – Green Garden" which aims to encourage environmental responsibility. The sunken garden has a "recycle-reuse-reduce" theme and as well as the mosaics, which have been made using recycled material, features a pathway constructed from recycled bottles.

Community arts specialist Debra Tracey worked with local charities and voluntary groups to create the mosaics for the garden. She said: "Garey Glass has been a tremendous community effort involving people of all ages and abilities.

"I held a number of work sessions in the run up to the launch and it was wonderful to see whole families, from very young children to grandparents, getting involved with making the mosaics - every single piece of which has been used which makes the project truly inclusive.

"We've used as much recycled material as possible, right down to the jars and containers for the eco-art classes, and we found all kinds of creative ways to reuse plastic carrier bags - even for making the 'ribbon' cut by the deputy mayor at the opening."

Chris Pycroft, development manager for the Douglas Development Partnership said: "Garey Glass has brought added interest and a new sense of community to the sunken gardens which are magnificently maintained by the council's parks section.

"The mosaics will bring colour to the garden during the months when the flowers have died down while the LED lighting gives life to the space at night so this is very much a garden for all seasons and all hours."

The project has been funded by the environmental charity Groundwork which uses the profits of the Marks and Spencer carrier bag charge and Douglas Borough Council and the Douglas Development Partnership.

---

TE-21 EXHIBITING GROUP LAUNCHED

TE-21 (Tessellated Expression for the 21st century), a new exhibiting group, was launched in Chartres, France, on 25 October 2008 by four mosaic artists, each internationally recognised. They were Elaine M. Goodwin (England), Dugald MacInnes (Scotland), Lucio Orsoni (Italy) and Toyoharu Kii (Japan).