Playful, detailed, intricate, astounding. Tiled mosaic art across the world has spanned the history of people, from Egypt to China to Italy to Brazil, connecting us through the delicately placed swirling artwork that takes colored pieces of tile to create a masterpiece. Take St. George’s Church in Tapolo, Serbia. Floor to ceiling is covered in a cascade of precisely placed tiled carvings, depicting in-detailed facial lines, textures of cloth and armor, and even rays of light. For hundreds of years, humans have been fascinated by taking these seemingly meaningless broken pieces of pottery or glass and designing them into something more.
Tiling became popular during the Islamic period (9th-13th centuries), where the signature design of repetitive patterns became synonymous with the practice, especially as they perfected the practice of tiling images onto non-flat surfaces like domes and turrets.
Religious wall decor is not the limit for this beautiful and fascinating form of artistry. The usable mediums to create these scenes can range from beads to shells to glass bottles to buttons and more, creating a kaleidoscope of imagination. The Magic Gardens in Philadelphia are a great example of this, using hundreds of recycled items to create a colorful set of stairs, walls, and floors within an otherwise drab city.
Mosaic tiling, of course, has made its way into modern architecture, with options to include specific designs into bathroom or kitchen backsplashes. Patios and gardens often incorporate pieces of mosaic art into their design as well. What makes mosaics so fascinating to many is the ability for someone to make a large, expansive, gorgeous depiction out of seemingly insignificant items like broken tiles, glass, or plastic. It allows us to create something beautiful from nothing and add a flash of personality, meaning, and flair to a space.