Giulia Manzoni

Mosaic maker

©Giulia Manzoni

The meditation behind mosaics

Giulia makes handmade mosaics in London
Her materials are mostly marble, Venetian glass and gold leaf
She specialises in making bespoke mosaics for architectural, residential and artistic projects

Giulia Manzoni studied art history before discovering her passion for mosaics, which she pursued at the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Spilimbergo, Italy. After becoming a master mosaicist, and much in demand, Giulia went to America and worked for two years in a mosaic studio in San Francisco. Then she moved to London and worked for a mosaic studio focused on restoration until she decided to launch her own business. She now works primarily on commissions engaging artistically and commercially with interior designers and architects, to create mosaics for their clients.

Interview

©Giulia Manzoni

©Giulia Manzoni

What do you like about creating mosaics?: It is an incredible feeling, when you are making mosaics and you can steadily see it growing beneath your fingertips. Piece by piece, it becomes highly meditative, especially when you spend hours ‘in flow’ working on a piece. Installation is a critical part of the process but there is nothing more satisfying than seeing the finished work in situ.
What is your personal style?: Since most of my work is by commission, I do not have so many opportunities to show my style, other than by ensuring the quality of workmanship, such as preciseness of the cuts and sensitive placement of the tesserae. In my art pieces, my style is more three dimensional, with pieces of different heights, offering something that teases the eye.
Do you think there is a special heritage in Italy for mosaics?: Yes, mosaic as a craft developed in the Mediterranean area. It started as something functional, but then became decorative. The school I went to in Italy, Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli, has been training mosaic artisans for more than a century and is the one and only school to do so.
What does well made mean to you?: For me a well made mosaic requires a combination of skills and knowledge gained through many years of training and work experience. The things which are really critical to doing good work are the quality of the cutting, quality materials, a very close attention to detail so that designs flow and create a balanced composition.

Giulia Manzoni is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2009 and she started teaching in 2019