• Luca Barberini’s contemporary mosaics of modern, hypnotized characters gained early recognition from Museo d’Arte Della Città of Ravenna, showcasing the power of institutional endorsement in mosaic art.
• Marcelo de Melo combines formal art installation skills with humor, exhibiting innovative mosaic designs at venues like Harding House Gallery in Lincoln, England, highlighting the value of blending creativity with audience engagement.
• Marie-Laure Bourbon’s mosaic work integrates diverse materials such as enamels, glass, marble, quartz, and pearls to express conceptual and figurative astral connections, demonstrating the impact of mixed media in modern mosaics.
• Artists like Carolina Kawal and Eloïse Baro draw inspiration from nature, minimalism, and ethics, with Kawal gaining exposure through exhibitions like Musiwa17 in Palazzo Medici Riccardi, emphasizing the importance of thematic depth and exhibition participation.
• Social media platforms and art exhibitions remain crucial for emerging mosaic artists to build recognition, as seen with Cecilia Kremer’s rising profile and Liliana Waisman’s transition from architecture to international mosaic art tutoring and exhibitions.

Cover Photo: Cecilia Kremer

2017 is finally over, and while it was an incredible year for emerging mosaic artists, as we witnessed the ascendance of young mosaicists like Yulia Hanansen and Angela Zimek, it’s time to look forward. Creative mosaic art is often an ingenious person’s game, and there’s always someone waiting for him to break through. Some have a better chance than others because they support themselves through social media platforms and art exhibitions, while others are strongly resisting social networking. These are the artists that have what it takes to become more recognized this year, and are positioned to do it in 2018!

Luca Barberini

Luca Barberini is amongst the wave of contemporary mosaicists who are bringing back mosaic art to spotlights in 2018! When he was still quite young, and already a recognized artist, his mosaic designs were selected by the Museo d’Arte Della Città of Ravenna. Although he works in a wide variety of materials, Luca is currently known for crafting mosaics of modern and hypnotized characters.

Copyrighted Credits to Luca Barberini

Marcelo de Melo

With his formal command of art installations and cheeky sense of humor, Marcelo has a knack for making the familiar feel creative again. After graduating from the University for the Creative Arts in 2011, he found an eager audience for his mosaic artworks which often feature innovative designs exhibited at the Harding House Gallery, Lincoln, England in 2002. Ever since his first show in 2002, Marcelo has been the subject of numerous major solo and collective exhibitions.

Copyrighted Credits to Marcelo de Melo

Olga Goulandris

As most of you know, Olga’s mosaic artworks were selected in my previous article: 10 Most Inspiring Contemporary Mosaic Artists Of 2017. When I allowed myself to truly delve into Olga’s mosaics and admire the stagnant concepts and vision that appeared in Musiwa17, I reverentially tip my hat to her creations. Therefore I had to go directly and check her website, where I discovered a more inspiring version of this young mosaicist. 2018 looks bright for her, who will appear in several solo and group exhibitions.

Copyrighted Credits Olga Goulandris

Marie-Laure Bourbon

Inspired partly by the modern art movement, Marie-Laure’s mosaic designs are crafted to illustrate the conceptual and figurative astral connection, using several materials like enamels, glass, marble, quartz, and pearls. In 2018, Marie-Laure will be immersing herself in a new body of work from her studio in France.

Copyrighted Credits to Marie-Laure Bourbon

Carolina Kawal

If you haven’t heard of Carolina Kawal you’re like not familiar with the charm of Itupeva, a captivating region in the state of São Paulo in Brazil, in which Carolina was included in several groups and solo exhibitions. She has begun to craft a name of her own for his minimalist mosaics, inspired by wonderlands and rabbit holes, that earned her a spot in Musiwa17 in Palazzo Medici Riccardi and Musiv.AR17 and many other shows!

Copyrighted Credits to Carolina Kawal

Marie-Odile Laurent

The mosaics of Marie-Odile Laurent come from a universe full of magic, colors, and fantasy, as she creates a world of her own. Her mosaics are fascinating, paradoxical, lively, cheerful, they transmit messages, they amuse and delight the eye and the spirit. Marie-Odile is one of the artists that have what it takes to shine in the mosaic art community, and she is positioned to do it this year.

Copyrighted Credits to Marie-Odile Laurent

Liliana Waisman

Before becoming a successful mosaic artist in her own right, Liliana was an influential architect. She started to gain distinction after she began her career as a tutor in national and international events related to mosaic art. Kicking things off in 2018, she started preparing for several art exhibitions.

Copyrighted Credits to Liliana Waisman

Cecilia Kremer

Cecilia attracted major attention last year with her innovative mosaic designs. She certainly has a big opportunity to capitalize on the buzz in the upcoming months. Nonetheless, the biggest question mark is whether her rather straightforward contemporary style will be enough to stand out in the mosaic community.

Copyrighted Credits to Cecilia Kremer

Sergio Policicchio

Sergio is among the wave of contemporary mosaicists who are bringing back mosaic art to spotlights this year, perhaps the rebellion to his mosaic portraits that took serious hold in 2016. Jacky was included in group shows and art exhibitions, and I expect that his new mosaics will take his exploration of new media even further in 2018.

Copyrighted Credits to Sergio Policicchio

Eloïse Baro

Finally, an artist whose mosaics and sculptures range from symbolic to suggestive as her topics are typically inspired by nature and ethics. Can you guess who she is? Yes, it’s Eloïse Baro! In 2016 Eloise acquired the Master Mosaicist title. The artist draws her inspiration from nature, science and culture. In the coming year, this mosaicist is sure to be our sunny escape when things get too dark.

Copyrighted Credits to Eloïse Baro

Last but not least, pulling from a year’s worth of travel, insight from some of the world’s mosaic inspiring art critics and curators, and early intel on upcoming art exhibitions, we’ve skimmed the top of emerging artists to bring you some of the best artists to watch in 2018. Nonetheless, at some point, we can all lose count of the number of artists who speak to our innermost selves with innovative art pieces. In case I missed any of your favorite mosaicists, you can always mention them in the comment box below to see them in future articles.

Here’s to a happy new mosaic year and we can only wonder what’s next for all of you wonderful mosaicists!

If you liked this article, you may also like our previous article about 10 Most Inspiring Contemporary Mosaic Artists Of 2017