500 Tiles: An Inspiring Collection of International Work (500 Series)
*Starred Review* The humble clay tile is one of humankind’s most ancient, enduring, and versatile inventions. From the simplest of squares to art objects of extraordinary refinement, tiles are at once utilitarian and beautiful. Ceramic tiles offer craftspeople and artists alike a two-dimensional surface on which to explore color, line, and shape, as well as providing the perfect medium for sculpting in relief. As ceramic artist Angelica Pozo, who juried this spectacular exhibition-in-a-book, writes in her introduction, tiles hold up so well and require so little maintenance, they are one of the “favorite mediums for public art commissions.” The contemporary tiles displayed on these lustrous pages vary splendidly in technique, style, and intent, ranging from exquisite to funky, realistic to abstract. From works as delicate as fossils to bold, brilliantly hued mosaics; from painterly to needlepoint-precise, the 500 tiles shown here depict plants, animals, birds, insects, human figures classical and playful, landscapes, interiors, and a marvelous array of patterns organic and geometric. Detailed yet concise technical information accompanies each remarkable work. No one who spends time with this pageant of ceramic creativity will ever take tiles for granted again. --Donna Seaman