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Barcelona, Spain

Livia Garreta

Mosaic maker

Mosaic paintings

  • Livia masters the trencadís technique
  • She is inspired by nature and music
  • She opened her workshop in 1989

Livia Garreta’s creations are fuelled by her fascination for the textures, durability and versatility of mosaic. This ancient craft technique allows her to cover surfaces of any size and shape, using a different array of hard and resistant materials, such as marble, ceramics, porcelain, glaze and stones, juxtaposing pieces and composing images like for a painting. Livia masters the Catalan trencadís technique, the one favoured by Gaudí, which involves using glazed ceramics broken with a hammer into irregular pieces. Her proudest moment to date is participating in the 2018 Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, promoting the art and culture of Catalunya.


Interview

©Lluis Bover
©Mario Wurzburger
What do you wish to convey through mosaics?
For me, mosaic is both art and craftsmanship. I am grateful to use an artistic process that projects my vision. I like to think that I am either creating poetry or a painting, combining the pieces of the different materials and stones that I use.
Do you think people know enough about mosaics?
Not really, mosaic has been used for the past 5,000 years, it has a lot of history, and uses different techniques to express the culture and identity of a place. A universal and versatile form of art, it adapts itself to the aesthetics of different times, also incorporating new materials.
How is mosaic linked to your homeland?
I was born in Barcelona and I am a specialist in the trencadís, the mosaic technique that the great Gaudì employed to clad his buildings, elevating it to a form of art. This mosaic technique is an icon of Catalunya.
What is your creative process?
First I design my mosaic. Then, I break the different materials into irregular pieces using different tools, and combine ancient and contemporary techniques to make the mosaic. I am inspired by music, poetry and nature.
Livia Garreta is a master artisan: she began her career in 1989 and she started teaching in 2005

Where


Livia Garreta

Address: Calle Pere Serafí 39, 8012, Barcelona, Spain
Hours: By appointment only
Phone: +34 627680479
Languages: Spanish, English, Catalan
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