Exhibition "Florentine Mosaic by Yuri Shevtsov"

About exhibition

The jewel of the Gai Historical and Local History Museum is the gallery of Florentine mosaics by Yuri Shevtsov. In 2014 the museum became the owner of a unique collection of stone works made in the Florentine mosaic technique: the pieces donated to the museum by the artist, one of the city's first builders and an Honorary Citizen of Gai, Yuri Shevtsov, became an adornment, a treasure, and a brand of the Gai urban district. Florentine mosaic is the most technically complex type of mosaic, a special art form — it is demanding and monumental. Yuri Shevtsov's works are distinguished by jeweler-like precision in laying mosaic elements, refined imagery, and color harmony. The artistic effect of Florentine mosaic is based on careful selection of materials; the palette is all the more varied the more different stones are used to compose the design. According to art historians, Yuri Shevtsov is a kind of 'fauvist' among mosaicists. His works are always recognizable. Their distinguishing features are skillful stone selection, interesting color solutions, delicate detailing, the absence of visible seams, and meticulous execution. In the exhibition you can see how it is possible to 'paint' pictures with stone. The themes of the stone panels vary: interpretations of literary images, philosophical reflections, and refined decorative motifs.