Alessandra Di Gennaro & Romuald Mesdagh
Artefact Mosaic
Mosaic maker
Venice, Italy
Bringing history up to date
- Alessandra and Romuald craft mosaic objects and compositions for interiors
- Their figurative works and portraits are made from marble, smalti and Murano glass
- They also work on restoration projects of historic mosaics
Alessandra di Gennaro and Romuald Mesdagh met at the Scuola Mosaicisti del Friuli in Spilimbergo and have been working together since 2014 when they opened Artefact Studio. Since her early days as a mosaicist, Alessandra has translated the work of contemporary artists into mosaic, and she has received several awards for her research and interpretative work. Romuald originally trained as a tiler and mosaicist with the Fédération Compagnonnique des Métiers du Bâtiment in France, moving to Italy in 2009 to further specialise in artistic mosaic making. He directed the restoration of the mosaics at Al Aqsa Mosque on behalf of the United Nations which concluded in 2016. Together, the duo have built a practice in making mosaics destined to embellish architectural spaces. Their work can take the shape of wall surfaces, floor designs, framed panels and design objects.
INTERVIEW
We are Master Artisans. We have mastered a technique and apply it according to the client’s requirements. We dislike being defined as artists: anyone can call himself an artist, whereas being a Master Artisan is something very specific that proves your skills and dedication to the craft.
There are 8,600sqm of mosaics in the Basilica di San Marco alone. There are only three manufacturers in the world who produce the glass used for mosaics, two of which are based in Venice. Working here we are immersed in the history of mosaics, and also able to choose the materials directly from the furnaces.
Doing things well doesn’t mean revolutionising the ancient language of mosaics, it is more a matter of understanding it properly. History provides us with all the inspiration we need, then it’s just a matter of choosing the right materials and the right shapes of the tiles to create a modern twist.
It takes really a lot of time to create mosaics. When you are working on a floor it can take a full day to make 1sqm. The tools are still very simple, the tiles are cut manually, there is no technology that can speed up the process. When we have big commissions, we hire up to 15 people to help.
Alessandra Di Gennaro & Romuald Mesdagh
Artefact Mosaic
Mosaic maker
Venice, Italy
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
PHONE
+39 0418778342
LANGUAGES
Italian, French, English
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