The art of making mosaics is ancient, dating back at least 4,000 years. Small pieces of glass, stone, and ceramic—known as tesserae—are cut and then arranged to create intricate images and patterns. On their own, these individual pieces may seem ordinary. However, when placed together, their diversity (material, size, shape, colour, lustre, etc.) creates a collective power. The tesserae uplift one another, their differences enhancing the qualities of adjacent pieces. Mosaic as an artform is therefore about creating something beautiful from hundreds of individual pieces, with the final result being greater than the sum of its parts.

“Putting the Pieces Back Together” is literal for the mosaic artists participating in this show, but the theme is also figurative. The pandemic shattered normalcy and brought unprecedented disruption to all of us. Individually and collectively, Canadians are also trying to put the pieces of their lives and communities back together.