COMMESSO MADE IN AMERICA, GEMSTONE FINE ART
March 3–May 2, 2009
Curated by Dennis Paul Batt
In Parker Gallery
Commesso Made in America is the first museum exhibition of the American-made fine art of creating commesso di pietre dure e tenere, stone mosaic pictures. The artwork is made from precise placement of hand cut rocks and gemstones, with an occasional shell or other hard material. "Pietre Dure" means hard stone such as agates, and "Pietre Tenere" means softer stone such as turquoise. Each stone has to be hand cut and placed into the mosaic painting without grout. The exhibition will feature works by celebrated Commesso artist William Grundke, his son Conrad Grundke, Dennis Paul Batt and Johnny Johnson.
