The following story comes from our friends at Mosaic Art Now. They tipped us off to this jaw-dropping mosaic project from 2012 at a metro station in Puente Alto, a suburb outside of Santiago, Chile.
The massive work — covering 4,000 square meters acorss three metro stations, 83 support pillars and concrete walls — was the brainchild of artist Isidora Paz López and the city’s outgoing mayor Manuel José Ossandon. With a team of about 32 people, the artist set to work on completing the project in about two years.
We especially enjoy the process photography present in this series, which leads us through the creation of many of the pillars. The artists start work by taping a photograph of an animal against the bare wall and creating the work beside it. Each step amps up the energy of the series until the final, eye-melting conclusion. The colors are glossy and vibrant. The angular geometry of each work creates texture and depth, making it appear as though cacti, birds and spiders are leaping off the wall at us (sorry to put the image of gigantic leaping spiders in your heads, readers).
A gallery of images follow. Please be sure to read Mosaic Art Now’s thorough piece of criticism on the work (linked above). Another article about the installation can be read in Andamento, availible online here.
Any thoughts about this post? Share yours in the comment box below.
Above: Artist Isidora Paz López.
Orgullosa de saber que Puente Alto tiene la obra mosaiquista más grande de latinoamérica, muy hermosa además, he estado viendo unos vídeos donde muestran como se diseñaron, realizaron y después continuaron con las calles y ayuda de los mismos vecinos.
Felicitaciones por tan bella muestra de arte que además de embellecer el lugar, aumenta el amor por espacios comunes, es un museo al aire libre para deleitar y enseñar al público.
Saludos cordiales.
I like street art! But this is the best what i ever seen!
Estoy muy emocionada al ver este trabajo ¡MARAVILLOSO! Ojala pueda un día verlo personalmente. Hoy por lo pronto voy a presenciar una charla en Musiv AR17 En Buenos Aires (lugar donde vivo) De esta fenomenal artista. Gracias Isidora Paz Lopez
Great project, so nice to see the process documented too
Wonderful to see this great project on your site. Mosaic Art Now is the heartbeat of contemporary mosaics all over the world.
Felicitaciones, este trabajo es algo espectacular. Aqui en Chypre en la pequena isla del mar Mediteranneo mi hermano Anthos Myrianthous es un artista que empezo a construir su propio paraiso. tambien trata de hacer mosaicos y organizar una exposition, algo parecido con lo que hicieron ustedes en Chile. Creo que un futuro intercambio de ideas, de culturas, y Amistad entre artistas podria ser un sueno realizado no solo para Anhos sino para todos aquellos que aman el Arte
i was one of the 60 artist chosen for the first international mosaic intervention in puente alto in 2014.. great exprience and great artist from around the world.
Felicitaciones al editor y periodista que han cubierto esta bella noticia cultural. El arte es un bálsamo para el espíritu. Las personas estamos agotadas de noticias negativas.Un saludo afectuoso de una puentealtina. Gracias. Thanks!.
Thanks for share our work in this fabulous post! This means a lot for us!