Phoenix, mosaic-collage 2022-23

A mosaic collage is today´s reaction to the further development of the traditional mosaic techniques. The exploit of multiple materials, also those not encountered in traditional mosaics, offers the artist many new options to utilize the third dimension and design more effective and creative surfaces. Besides various kings of glass and ceramic also metal, plastic fleece, burned clay, textiles, carton and acrylic glass have been used in this work.

The phoenix is a bird dating back to Greek mythology, perishing in fire but rising from the ashes and alive once again. In Christianity he ymbolises resurrection.

The work consists of two parts: a dark, horizontal one with rough jerky forms and a bright, vertical one with smooth forms.. The dark part symbolises the burned, charred wing of the bird, in glossy black but still reflecting colours for the observer. Darkness can become very attractive.

The bright part consists of eight forms, alternating among wings, flames and leaves. They illustrate the development of the new beginning. Eight materials and eight different colours were used for the surfaces:

1 Debonding from darkness
2 Overcoming darkness
3 Mirror – and silvery glittering reflexions
4 The golden flaming middle – finding to oneself
5 white – purification
6 blue – inward and outward expansion
7 red – powerful new beginning
8 green –connexion to mother Earth

Combined the dark part and the light, colourful part of this three dimensional mosaic-collage present a unity.