Name: Geometric mosaics
Author: Jan Václavík
Dating: 1982
Location: in the exterior on the walls dividing the entrance to the building of services at the VŠB-TUO halls of residence in Studentská (Street) in the district of Poruba
Execution: three geometrically abstract mosaics made of small marble stones (dimensions 300 x 670 cm)
A GAME OF CIRCLES AND SQUARES
The stone mosaic with a decorative, purely geometric motif by the painter Jan Václavík adorns the entrance to the building of services in the premises of the VŠB-TUO halls of residence in the district of Poruba. The strict orthogonal architectural composition of the architecture of the buildings within the halls of residence complex is enlivened by the playful geometric composition of the mosaic. The author used two basic shapes of a circle and a square, which alter on all three surfaces. The individual parts of the mosaic define the entrance door to the building, thus dynamizing and enhancing an otherwise rather unattractive space. The painter played with the transformation of shapes created by dividing the squares and circles, which he had intertwined in terms of their shape and colour, creating a number of variants using only these two basic elements.
The whole effect is achieved with very simple means, using only two natural stone colour tones and by placing small rectangular stone pieces in different directions. The creamy-white and rust-brown stone colour was in harmony with the original colour concept of the halls of residence in soft beige and ochre tones. The selected colouring combined and supported the final impression of all elements of the dormitory architecture. In addition to the facades of buildings, paving and other construction elements, it was also other works of art, such as the ceramic fountain by Jiří Myszak, completed in 1982, and the Václavík’s mosaics that were concentrated in the atrium of the halls of residence.
The pleasant and timeless original colour solution was, unfortunately, during recent reconstructions of the dormitory buildings, disrupted by sharp tones of the new facade paints applied to the polystyrene foam insulation system without any respect for the original authors’ intentions.
