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© Michela Nardin
© Simone Padovani
© Simone Padovani
© Bruna Marchetti

Michela Nardin

  • MNM Venezia
  • Mosaic maker
  • Venice, Italy
  • Master Artisan
Michela Nardin Mosaic maker
Contact
Italian, English, Spanish
Hours:
By appointment only
Phone:
+39 3492516781
© Michela Nardin

Matching tiles of modernity

  • • Michela is fascinated by artistic materials
  • • She matches glass tiles with plaster and wood
  • • In her vision, technique adapts to the subject

Art has always been part of Michela Nardin’s life, but the road to mosaics, for which she is now acclaimed, was winding. After studying graphics at the Art Institute and specialising in wall painting restoration, she worked for ten years as a restorer, travelling throughout Italy, until she was asked to make mosaic replicas of famous artworks in Venice, where she moved from Treviso. It was the beginning of a true call. Since then she’s worked on a personal path, creating unique pieces: panels, sculptures and furnishings. She matches the glass tiles with unexpected materials such as wood and Venetian plaster. Important steps of her research are the collection "Favorite", an exploration of women in art, and the ambitious project "Motivi", a sort of artistic mapping of Italy.

Read the full interview

Works

  • © Eugenio Villani
  • © Eugenio Villani
  • © Simone Padovani
  • © Simone Padovani
  • © Michela Nardin
Photo: © Eugenio Villani
Ravenna mosaic

This mosaic panel is the first motif of the triptych dedicated to Ravenna in the series Motivi, which is a tribute to the Italian artistic heritage. The composition, named "Prelude of the Starry Sky" is inspired by the Baptistery of the Orthodox, also known as Neonian Baptistery. It has been crafted using glass paste tiles produced by the historical Venice furnace Orsoni. It is held in a private collection.

Height 20 cm
Width 20 cm

Photo: © Eugenio Villani
Ravenna mosaic

This mosaic panel is the third motif of the triptych dedicated to Ravenna in the series Motivi, which is a tribute to the Italian artistic heritage. The composition, named " Mausoleum of Galla Placidia" is inspired by the mausoleum of that name, whose interior is covered by amazing mosaics. It has been crafted using glass paste tiles produced by the historical Venice furnace Orsoni. It is held in a private collection.

Height 20 cm
Width 20 cm

Photo: © Simone Padovani
Olive wood sculpture

This sculpture is from the limited series of decorated olive wood pieces. Each one is unique, and finished with microcrystalline wax and glass mosaic. It was handcrafted using a selection of coloured smalti tiles and gold leaf tiles, produced by the historical Venice furnace Orsoni. The tesserae fill the natural crack of the olive wood, suggesting a sumptuous wavy movement.

Length 28 cm
Width 20 cm
Height 27 cm

Photo: © Simone Padovani
Coral

This sculpture is from the limited series of decorated olive wood pieces. Each one is unique and finished with microcrystalline wax and glass mosaic. It was handcrafted using a selection of coloured smalti tiles and gold leaf micro-tiles, produced by the historical Venice furnace Orsoni. The tesserae fill the natural holes of the olive wood, transforming the trunk into an artistic object.

Length 24 cm
Width 20 cm
Height 38 cm

Photo: © Michela Nardin
The Dark Knight

The large mosaic wall panel is the first part of the Batman diptych, a tribute to the graphic novel "The Dark Knight III" by Frank Miller. To realise this piece, Michela Nardin used ancient techniques, mixing different materials in astonishing ways. Large mosaic sheets were handcrafted following the shape of the drawing, then put on a Venetian stucco background, made using natural products – lime and Botticino marble powder – after the ancient tradition of marmorino stucco.

Height 100 cm
Width 154 cm

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