Unique technique

Enamel and mosaic art techniques may not seem the same, but Andrey Mandzhos has merged them in a peculiar amalgam. An exhibition of his works shows that mosaics are equally fitting for paintings as they are for sculptures.

Both an enamel and mosaic artist, Andrey Mandzhos has found a way to connect these two different kinds of art. He uses this unique synthetic technique to create sculptures, jewellery and paintings.

The artist's method can be used for objects of any size, but the current exhibition which has opened in the Russian president's administration office in Moscow, features small-scale works fit for home decor.

Andrey Mandzhos often uses the works of famous painters as the basis for his own art pieces. All of them are recognizable, yet the mosaic versions have a different palette having more decoration and texture.

“Vrubel and Degas are artists fitting for the mosaics techniques. My soul wanted to try reproducing the impressionists' works in this manner,” says the artist.

Andrey has also developed the technique of enamel mosaics. At first, he experimented with other methods but found they didn't allow him to use a wide variety of colours. Moreover, the final result was often unpredictable because of the different temperatures at which enamel melts. So he decided to cover little pieces of copper with enamel and glue them together to form an image.

“I'm already creating a coloured glass enamel mosaic – the one you can see through. Enamel is put on a special hole and when you shine a light from beneath, the mosaic starts shining just like cat's eyes,” he explains.

The artist is eager to share his methods with the public. The exhibition hall features his instruments and raw materials. So, everyone eager to try can create their own mosaics.