Maribor has in its year of reign as the European Capital of Culture gained one more artistic endeavor - a facade of the block of flats by the Volkmer's passage. It's known as a MOSAIC - MEMORIAL OF THE EUROPEAN CAPITAL OF CULTURE. Igor Orešič, Maribor-based architect, is known more for his interior design and urbanism, but has been working with mosaics since the 80s. During his years living in USA, he learned a lot about restoring mosaics in cathedrals around New York and New Jersey. He later honed his craft in Milano Academy of Mosaics.
His mosaic in Maribor took one year to come from the idea to being created. The basic idea stayed the same: mosaic will consist out of symbols of the European Capital of Culture (town symbols and a spinning top) and it should proclaim connecting and dynamics in creativity. Orešič included the town's citizens in the process; as part of the creative workshop, students of Slava Klavora Elementary School were the first to contribute (five of their smaller mosaics are placed on the wall below the larger, main mosaic). So did a group of few interested passers-by. Orešič continued to work alone due to the complexity of the craft. To cover the area of 12 m2, Orešič used marble, granite, and gold plated Murano glass. Approximately 60.000 pieces of aforementioned material were used to form a mosaic weighing over 800 kg. MOSAIC - MEMORIAL ECOC clearly displays the basic idea of entwined partner towns of the European Capital of Culture 2012 with a common goal - to create a united cultural and creative space.
Mosaics are rare in Slovenia even though the craft is thousands of years old. While mosaic can be seen in Paris Opera House, we are nonetheless more used to seeing it in more sacral setting. Now Maribor has one, its first public mosaic, which will forever remind people of their year as the capital of culture. The incredible 2012.
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MEMORIAL - MOSAIC, Igor Orešič-Mosaic 2012
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