October 27, 2015
Contact: Gwyn Kaitis 815-919-2576
Special Exhibition and Lecture at SOFA Chicago Shatters Expectations of Mosaic Art
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chicago- The Society of American Mosaic Artists (SAMA) will present Shattering Expectations: The Art of Mosaics in the 21st Century at Navy Pier during SOFA Chicago, November 5-8, 2015.
Lynne Chinn, Arabesque, 2012, Smalti, 24k green-gold smalti, marble, porcelain, vitreous glass, seashell
The exhibition offers a rare and enriching opportunity to experience, in person, the unique texture and diversity of the best of contemporary mosaic art, an art form that is so rich and compelling that it is often difficult to capture the full essence in a photograph.
“The artists in this exhibition have expressed creativity and innovation in their work that illustrates the unique and compelling qualities of this most ancient of art forms,” said Jacki Gran, President of the SAMA Board of Trustees. “The featured artists use both traditional and non-traditional materials while employing classical and contemporary techniques to explore the diversity of the medium in unexpected ways.”
The exhibit provides a rare opportunity for viewers to experience the work of a group of strongly unique voices in contemporary mosaic. “I am thrilled that we will present these works at SOFA Chicago.” said Dawnmarie Zimmerman, SAMA Executive Director. “Viewers will experience very different approaches towards the use of materials and color, as well as the way that these artists navigate the essential relationship between tesserae and substrate. They are alternately emotional, intellectual and/or meditative works in this exhibition and we are pleased that we can present such an array of voices in contemporary mosaic art.”
Exhibiting artists include: Andrea Salvador, Betsy Youngquist, Drucilla Perez-Tubins, Gwyn Kaitis, Irina Charny, Kim Wozniak, Laura Rendlen, Lynne Chinn, Scott Fitzwater, Sophie Drouin, Rachel Sager, Mireille Swinnen and Bonnie Fitzgerald.
SAMA will provide an educational talk for the SOFA Lecture Series during the show: E”Merging” Medium: Contemporary Mosaic Art Shatters All Expectations, 9:30 – 10:30 am Room C, #SOFALectures #sofaexpo.
Read SAMA’s contribution to the SOFA Essay archive, Not Your Grandmother’s Mosaic: Modern Mosaic Art in the United States by Gwyn Kaitis.
The Society of American Mosaic Artists, a non-profit organization of over 900 members, is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and promoting excellence in mosaic arts. SAMA is the largest mosaic art organization in the world and includes mosaic artists, collectors, materials suppliers, and art educators. More information about SAMA can be found at www.americanmosaics.org.
More information about SOFA can be found at www.sofaexpo.com Show hours: Friday and Saturday, 11:00am – 7:00pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm. Navy Pier, Chicago, Illinois.