Imagine a city where each step leads you through layers of history, where the echoes of early Christian and Byzantine legacies meet the vibrant pulse of contemporary art. The cobbled streets of Ravenna, Italy, have been this very canvas for the past three months. The 8th Biennial Exhibition of Contemporary Mosaic offered visitors a chance to explore a centuries-old technique that continues to captivate, showcasing the diverse forms of this medium. Transforming streets, museums, and cloisters into immersive galleries, the biennale weaves together the threads of history, art, design, architecture, creativity and experimentation. STIR brings you the highlights and the curator’s perspective on the rich spectrum of artistic expressions that marked this year’s edition.

The exhibition itinerary of the biennial began at the Art Museum of the City of Ravenna (MAR) with the presentation of BURRIRAVENNAORO. Curated by art critic and historian, Bruno Corà, this exhibition traced the history of Italian artist Alberto Burri’s profound connection with the city, established since the late 1980s. In several cycles of works inspired by the city’s history and artistic culture, Burri embodied and transfigured, through the contrast of black and gold, the dialogue between darkness and light. Within the context of the biennial, his works provided an opportunity to delve into the aesthetic and meaningful suggestions offered by the monumental and mosaic testimonies of Ravenna’s early Christian and Byzantine periods. Whether working within the boundaries of traditional techniques or pushing beyond, Burri’s creations reinvented the codes of mosaic.

In parallel, Palazzo Rasponi delle Teste hosted Episodes of Contemporary Mosaic, curated by Maria Cristina Didero. This exhibition focused on the intersection of mosaic and design, bringing together six designers to create unique products for interiors. The resulting pieces beautifully blended industrial design, digital technology and traditional mosaic craftsmanship, offering a glimpse into the innovative approaches taken by contemporary artists.

Sala Mosaico, within the enchanting Classense Library, served as a pivotal venue for the exhibition Palianytsia by Ukrainian artist Zhanna Kadyrova, curated by Maria Rita Bentini. Originally presented at the 59^th Venice Biennale 2022, the project bore witness to the tragic conditions faced by the artist and her compatriots in Ukraine . The project unfolded as a powerful expression of the artist’s response to the ongoing war in her homeland. While beautiful, her mosaic works served as a poignant commentary on contemporary geopolitical issues.

In the historic Manica Lunga of the Classence library, the spirit of the design event thrived with the sixth edition of the GAeM Award - Young Artists and Mosaic, curated by Sabina Ghinassi and Paolo Trioschi. This innovative competition aimed to explore emerging practitioners’ approaches to mosaic, spanning different identity-based forms to more experimental and eccentric expressions. Through this exhibition, the biennale celebrated the historical significance of mosaic and also positioned it as a dynamic and evolving art form with continued relevance in contemporary artistic discourse.

In an exclusive conversation with STIR, Daniele Torcellini, the chief curator of the biennial, shared insights into his curatorial approach, emphasising the themes of “contrast” and “community”. He explained, “The exhibition at MAR, dedicated to Burri’s work consistently emphasised the stark contrast between black and gold, dark and light, capturing the essence of Ravenna as a city where historical richness coexists with the complexities of contemporary life”.

Torcellini further explored the concept of contrast, stating, “The nature of mosaic art is inherently relational. It implies a relation between tiles and often involves collaborative processes”. This relational aspect was evident throughout exhibitions, highlighting mosaic art as a metaphor for the interconnectedness of components forming a unified whole, and resonating with the idea of a sense of community.

Burri’s artistic journey reveals a profound influence drawn from the mosaics of Ravenna, particularly captivated by the luminosity embodied in the gold leaf tiles. The art curator explained that for the artist this influence was approached as a physical and perceptual reality before delving into the realms of spirituality or metaphysics. In his final work, the Il nero e l’oro series, the artist skillfully incorporated gold leaf in a textured manner within his paintings. This incorporation served to reference the texture of mosaic art, emphasising its interplay with light through his painterly practice.

The curator elucidated that Burri’s oeuvre invited spectators into an encompassing and phenomenological experience of space, light and matter. This particular aspect of Burri’s work resonated strongly with contemporary art and engaged viewers in sensory exploration. 

Reflecting on the rich history of Ravenna, especially with its designation as a  UNESCO heritage site, the curator elaborated on the city’s impact on the mosaic creations showcased in the biennial. He mentioned to STIR that the city served as an inspirational source for artists, designers, and architects working with mosaics, fostering experimentation and the creation of works in line with the Byzantine tradition. The city’s mosaic schools, including the Academy of Fine Arts, contributed to the preservation and evolution of mosaic art. UNESCO monuments, adorned with magnificent mosaics, became an inevitable reference, defining the identity of the place while the Biennial explored both the identity and alterity of mosaic creations.

The curator, reflecting on the Mosaic Biennial, highlighted one of the most intriguing aspects - the exploration of mosaic presence in contemporary practices across art, craftsmanship, design and architecture. He observed that the early Christian and Byzantine heritage in Ravenna naturally provided a backdrop for viewers to experience contemporary mosaic art. The ancient mosaics, in his view, offered valuable insights, enabling a better understanding and contextualisation of contemporary pieces based on their relation to the past and the present. Conversely, contemporary mosaic art was seen as providing opportunities to view ancient mosaics in a different light, thus fostering tradition and modernity.

While mosaic art has a rich history, Torcellini further highlighted the emerging trends and innovative approaches in contemporary mosaic art, accentuating the interaction between mosaic and other media. This innovative approach in this edition included collaborations with painting, photography, design, 3D printing and performance art. Additionally, he observed an interesting use of mosaics in contemporary practices related to artistic, social and geopolitical interactions, especially between Eastern, Middle- Eastern and European cultures. This observation is traced back to the historical development of mosaics in antiquity, where they played a crucial role in exchanges and connections among the territories of the Mediterranean area.

In reflecting on contemporary art practices, Torcellini highlighted a discernible evolution in the role of mosaics over the past decades. Artists, whether directly involved or collaborating with professional mosaicists, increasingly turned to mosaic techniques or mosaic-like approaches as substantial vehicles for conveying their artistic visions.

The curator explored the impact of mosaics within the realm of public art, especially in the design of metro stations in global hubs like New York, London, Paris and Naples. This exploration prompted a thoughtful reconsideration of the broader potentials inherent in mosaic. Within his perspective, mosaic unfolded as a versatile force in the contemporary art world, defined by its process-oriented intricacies and time-intensive demands it imposed not only in creation but also in comprehension. The meticulous engagement of hand skills and the tangible manipulation of concrete matter resulted in the creation of complex artworks. The curator positioned mosaic as a purposeful counterbalance to the rapid production of digital content, offering a reflective pause against the constant bombardment of digitised experiences prevalent in today’s art scene.

Discussing the significance of partnerships with STIR, the curator elaborated on the role of the Raul Gardini Foundation in the Biennale. The foundation, dedicated to honouring and disseminating the global vision of entrepreneur Raul Gardini, played an active role in promoting research, development and environmental education. In a meaningful collaboration with the Biennale, the foundation was intricately tied to the art exhibition dedicated to Alberto Burri. Notably, Gardini, during his tenure as CEO of the Ferruzzi holding company in the early ‘90s, commissioned Burri for the creation of two public artworks: a monumental sculpture and a cycle of paintings. This partnership underscores the intersection of art, entrepreneurship and environmental stewardship.

The transformation of monuments and cloisters into open galleries offered visitors a unique experience. Mosaics across various locations provided an exciting and novel way to discover the city, offering not just art but also a narrative that unfolded against the backdrop of Ravenna. Events, performances and educational programmes within these settings enriched the overall experience, fostering a vibrant and immersive experience.

Looking ahead, Torcellini envisions the Biennial evolving in various directions such as exploring advancements in mosaic materials and techniques, with a focus on sustainability in the art world, fostering collaborations between artists and practitioners in other fields to cultivate cross-disciplinary projects that merge diverse creative expressions, and delving into the synergistic interaction between digital technology and mosaic art, seeking new perspectives and approaches. To amplify its impact, the event could engage more artists, architects, designers and laboratories, or emphasise international participation. Simultaneously the Biennial could deepen its exploration of the historical and cultural aspects of mosaic art to underscore its crucial role in preserving and interpreting different cultures. With mosaics breathing life into the very fabric of Ravenna, the Biennial served as a living testament to the enduring allure of this timeless form, creating a harmonious dialogue between tradition and the avant-garde.