Jonathan Mandell
Philadelphia Mosaic Artist
Jonathanmandell.com
How old is mosaic art?
Mosaics go back more than 4,000 years. Early cultures of ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and the Byzantine Empire all created their own unique stylizations of the art form.
Your logo is “I See My Work as the Juncture of Painting, Sculpture, and Drawing.” Can you explain how you incorporate each of those three elements into your work?
I am "sculpting" pieces of tile into a "painterly image" using the grout lines as "drawing "lines.
Where do you find the materials for your work? How do you choose them?
I do not know much about firing tiles or blowing glass. I find available materials or have tiles custom-fired for me. I collect broken shards from glass-blowing studios to use in my mosaics. The purpose of this is that since the broken shards are convex and concave, I can infuse bas-relief ideas into my design. The glass shards can be tricky to work with as they are, in fact, jagged, curved fragments.
I also like to use various semi-precious stones and minerals. They provide a range of visual patterns and textures in my artwork. Stones can be employed in the form of tumble pieces, cut slabs, or raised crystalline forms. Some minerals can be difficult to work with as they can have internal fractures and pitting.
How do you research which topics/themes to incorporate into your art? For ex. The National Constitution Center or Casablanca? How does being a historian help you with your work?
I was an American history major at Northwestern University (CAS 1984). This trained me in how to conduct historical research.
Projects like the National Constitution Center’s “We the People” mosaic and the Casablanca mosaic involved researching ways to visually capture a given theme. With Casablanca, I was able to access a range of vintage Casablanca movie posters and create an amalgam of them.
The National Constitution Center had, at the time, an extremely gifted historian, Dr. Steven Frank. He helped guide me towards developing a visual theme which captured the NCC’s mandate, all the while avoiding any political bias.
What are the differences between doing representational art and non-representational art?
In my art work, I strive to create inventive spatial compositions, color compositions, and perspectives. I also enjoy infusing a narrative quality into my art. I believe that once an artist has created a spatial and color composition, one can either choose to leave it at that point or you can offer the viewer even more with the inclusion of a narrative.
I believe that viewers desire a narrative as it allows them to connect with the artwork on an anecdotal/psychological level.
I like how in one of your videos (Ruth Weisberg for Philly Creative Guide - July 8th, 2011) you say, in discussing the National Constitution Center mosaic, that you made the three branches of government at kids’ height. You can see the fingerprints and smudge marks of kids on your finished work.
Is part of the appeal of your work (in contrast with paintings and photography) that you can touch it?
The tactile aspect of mosaic is one of the most attractive features of the art form for me. The viewer can experience the grout lines as drawing lines both visually and through hands-on physical connection to the art. The wall-mounted panels look like 2-inch-thick slabs that could have been dug up somewhere. The exploration of color composition, etc., puts a modern spin on the medium. I enjoy the tactile quality of my artwork and heartily encourage viewers to touch and connect with my art.
National Constitution Center
Cecil B. Moore,
Nisqually I,
Portrait of Sam and Bertha
Can you describe the process of getting work approved?
Do you approach the person/entity commissioning the art or vice versa?
I come to my projects from a range of approaches. There have been projects where I approached a given organization and created the need for the artwork. There have been times when the organization or residential client finds me. Sometimes it comes through my website; sometimes it is via a representative such as an art consultant or architect.
I like to create drawings to show clients how the finished mosaic will look. This is particularly helpful when creating portraits. The drawings take much of the mystery out of the process.
If a client wants to see the portrait vertical, horizontal, or zoomed in, it is easy to show them the different variations. Many times, clients will see an existing example from my portfolio and want it customized to fit a particular site’s dimensions.
I recently completed an 8ft x 6ft wall-mounted panel for Bryn Mawr Hospital (shown above). The final version of the design was version 8. Many sets of eyes saw the drawing and helped to inform it. I encourage my clients to engage in the creative process with me. I have no trouble working with client feedback. I enjoy the intellectual interchange.
Please describe your Nisqually work. As I understand it, you used broken shards of glass from existing works that were destroyed in the Tacoma-Seattle earthquake of 2000. How did the project come about?
After the Nisqually earthquake in 2000 (in the Tacoma-Seattle, Washington area), I contacted various glass artists in the Pacific Northwest. Dale Chihuly and Sonia Blumdahl were kind enough to send me their broken shards. From them, I created Nisqually I, II, and III. I have sold II and III. Nisqually I is still available. They were each 48” x 48” x 3”.
A percentage of the sale went to CERF (Craft Artist Emergency Relief Fund). This was in 2001. This was the first time that I experimented with using glass shards in my artwork. I enjoy the repurposing of what would be broken waste.
How heavy are your mosaics?
They are much lighter weight than they look. I use a hollow wooden panel grouted with a latex stucco; these materials keep the mosaic as lightweight as possible. It is mainly the tile, stone, and glass that makes up the weight. For example, a 24" x 24" mosaic weighs around 25lbs and a 24" x 36" mosaic around 35lbs.
How do they mount?
The mosaics have a built-in hanging strip, which has a mitered edge (45 degrees). A provided reciprocally mitered strip mounts on the wall level. Then the mosaic just drops into place. Finish nails can be applied across the top edge of the mosaic to prevent it from lifting off the cleat. The weight of the mosaic keeps it stable on the cleat.
A lot of your works are Judaic. What’s the appeal for you in doing Judaic works? What are some of the decisions that go into crafting Judaic works that are different from your other works?
I began my professional career in mosaic by targeting the niche of synagogue art. I offered congregations a visually exciting alternative to the classic wood and brass tree of life. The vastness of liturgical-themed mosaic antiquity provided a diverse and rich resource for my Judaic-themed art. Utilizing antiquity as a source allowed me to tap into the various ancient cultures and their unique stylistic takes on the art form.
I enjoy designing and creating Judaic-themed works as it allows me the opportunity to connect with my own cultural roots, delving into the ancient mosaics and their various stylizations. Judaic-themed work is also an opportunity to do historic research to inform my imagery.
Your sports mosaics include a commissioned work for Citizens Bank Park and a portrait of Philadelphia’s Overbrook High School star Wilt Chamberlain. How do “motion ” and “perspective” impact these works? What other considerations are there? Which local figure (past or present) would you love to do?
I really enjoy sports-themed works. They give me a chance to create compositions that highlight motion and tension as well as action and observation of action. The grout lines create illusions of volume, motion, etc.
I would love to do portraits of the stars who showcased their talents at the old Spectrum in Philadelphia. I "envision" a large-scale mosaic featuring the likes of Dr. J, Allen Iverson, Wilt, Bobby Clarke, Eric Lindros, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, etc. I see this as something that visitors would enjoy touching and posing in front of, as a destination at what stands now on the Spectrum site, Xfinity Live.
Bryn Mawr Hospital
Citizens Bank Ballpark
Where can people see your works?
Citizens Bank Park, the National Constitution Center, the National Liberty Museum, the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center, the University of Pennsylvania, Delaware Valley College, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Lower Merion High School, Dickinson College, the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Beth Sholom Synagogue in Las Vegas, NV, Bet Shalom Synagogue in Minnetonka, MN, Temple Israel in Swampscott, MA, the Jewish Theological Seminary in NY, Temple Beth Hillel-Beth El and the Perelman Jewish Day School in Wynnewood, PA, the among other sites. You can also see my art at the Silverman Gallery in Buckingham, PA. Tell the gallery owner, Rhonda, that Jonathan sent you.
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