The Yezidi Collection

Back from Europe, I am working on a number of exciting projects. One of them I like very much is my collection of Eyes of Yezidi refugees. 

The Yezidi - sometimes Yazidi, or Ezidi, one of the oldest minority in Iraq, follow an ancient non-Abrahamic religion. 

For this reason, Yezidi  men, women and children are tortured, enslaved, raped and massacred by ISIS. Not only is this religious persecution, it also is a Genocide. But very few people are aware of it. In fact, until not so long ago, I had never heard of the Yezidi people.

Here are the 3 next portraits :

Yezidi 13 is a young boy who thankfully is still able to smile.

Yezidi 013

Yezidi 020 is a young girl. She could be anyone's daughter, nice, sister or cousin.

Yezidi 020

 

Yezidi 036 is a young woman who chose to fight the enemies of her people. She could be anyone daughter, sister or wife. 

Yezidi 036

The Free Yezidi Foundation is an international ONG based in the Netherlands. They provide assistance to the refugees and victims of this genocide. 

I cannot go to Iraq or Syria help these pople. But I can try to help with my Art. This is why I am creating this collection. Once it is complete, I intend to auction the mosaics, and will donate 50 % of the profit to the Free Yezidi Foundation to help their work. 

At this time, I have no idea about the way this sale can be organized, it would be good to use it to make people aware of what is really going on there. 

I created last week the models for these 3 pieces. I am using to build them a new technique I developed specifically for them.

I will post regular updates on these mosaics. 

I am presently completing other pieces of this collection, and will publish pictures of the finished pieces as soon as possible. Because I have to do part of the finishing work outside, I have been delayed by the weather. I should be able to publish the first piece within 2 weeks.

I have no idea of the way to organize the sale or Auction, so if have any expertise in this area and would like to help or participate, please let me know at frederic.lecut@gmail.com, or call me at (334) 798 1639.

 

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by this project or by my work in general 

or if you would simply like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com  

or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

 

   You can also

SUBSCRIBE to my

NEWSLETTER

to receive regular updates on this

Yezidi Eyes Mosaic Project, 

and my other projects.

9 Muses in mosaic.

The nine muses — Clio, Thalia, Erato, Euterpe, Polyhymnia, Calliope, Terpsichore, Urania, and Melpomene — were often depicted in Mosaics.

Today I'd like to introduce the beautiful Muses of the mosaic which was unearthed in the Village of Vichten, close to Luxembourg in 1995. 

This mosaic can be admired at the Museum d'Histoire et d'Art de Luxembourg.

 

Clio invented History and the Cithar.

Thalia, protector of comedy also discovered geometry and agriculture.

Erato was the protector of Love and Love Poetry – as well as wedding.

Euterpe, discovered several musical instruments, courses and dialectic.

Polyhymnia, protector of the divine hymns and mimic art invented geometry and grammar.

Calliope,  presiding over Epic Poetry, was Homer's personal muse.

 Terpsichore invented dances, the harp and education.

And Urania, over Astronomy. Those who are most concerned with philosophy and the heavens are dearest to her.

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by my work

or if you would like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com  

or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

 

 

You can also

SUBSCRIBE to my

NEWSLETTER

to receive regular updates on my work and

my present Yezidi Eyes and 

Wiregrass mosaic projects

Mosaic Muses

The Muses (Ancient Greek: Μοῦσαι Mousai; perhaps from the Proto-Indo-European root *men- "think") in Greek mythology are the goddesses of the inspiration of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the poetry, song-lyrics, and myths that were related orally for centuries in these ancient cultures. They were later adopted by the Romans as a part of their pantheon.

The Muses, the personification of knowledge and the arts, especially literature, dance and music, are the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (memory personified). Hesiod's account and description of the Muses was the one generally followed by the writers of antiquity. 

It was not until Roman times that the following functions were assigned to them, and even then there was some variation in both their names and their attributes: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Euterpe (flutes and lyric poetry), Thalia (comedy and pastoral poetry), Melpomene (tragedy), Terpsichore (dance), Erato (love poetry), Polyhymnia (sacred poetry), Urania (astronomy).

Muse	Domain	Emblem
Calliope	Epic Poetry	Writing tablet, Stylus, Lyre
Clio	History	Scrolls, Books, Cornet, Laurel wreath
Euterpe	Music, Song, Ellegiac Poetry	Aulos (an ancient Greek musical instrument like  a flute), panpipes, laurel wreath.
Aerato	Lyric Poetry	Cithara (an ancient Greek musical instrument  in the lyre family)
Melpomene	Tragedy	Tragic mask, Sword (or any kind of blade), Club, Kothornos  (boots)
Polyhymnia	Hymns	Veil, Grapes (referring to her as an agricultural  goddess)
Terpsichore	Dance	Lyre, Plectrum
Thalia	Comedy	Comic mask, Shepherd's crook (the vaudeville  act of pulling someone off the stage with a  hook is a reference to Thalia's crook),  Ivy wreath
Urania	Astronomy	Globe and compass

It is interesting to note that both words "Muse" and "Mosaic" share the same etymology. Medieval Latin "musaicum" literally meant "of the muses" and was used to designate what we later called "mosaic".

And so we know of many mosaics describing them 9 muses. 

A gorgeous Set was discovered in Zeugma, Turkey in 2014.

And an other amazing set in the Island of Rhodes.

And an amazing one was unearthed much more to the North in the Vilage of Viichter close to Luxembourg. 

In a next Post, I'll show you some individual portraits of our 9 Μοῦσαι.

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by my work

or if you would like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com  

or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

 

 

You can also

SUBSCRIBE to my

NEWSLETTER

to receive regular updates on my present

Yezidi Eyes Mosaic Project, 

and my work in general.

 

 

The mosaics of the Chapel of the Head of Saint John the Baptist

The Russian Orthodox Convent of the Ascension is located in the village of A-Tur on the Mount of Olives. 

The convent is open to the public on limited hours or for organized groups. The place is inhabited by Nuns.

Mount of Olives is the one on the left.

According to Orthodox tradition it is the site where Jesus ascended to heaven 40 days after the resurrection.

The Russian Orthodox convent and church were built in 1870-1887.

A 64 meter high bell tower was designed to symbolize the ascension to heaven. It added a remarkable landmark in the Jerusalem's skyline. It was the first Christian bell to operate in Jerusalem.

 

A chapel behind the church is dedicated to John the Baptist.

On the site of the convent were two 5th Century Armenian churches. One of them was named after John the Baptist. According to tradition his head was found in a jar hidden in a cavity under its floor. Mosaic floors were uncovered during the construction of the convent, and embedded in the chapel's floor.

 

The mosaic include geometric patterns and depicts Holy Land fruits, birds and animals. 

 

An Armenian inscription dedicates it to bishop Jacob who built it.

Embedded in this mosaic floor is a deep cavity, seen in the photo below. 

This hole is sacred, since according to the tradition it was the place where the head of John the Baptist was found in a jar, hidden by one of his followers in the 1st C, and rediscovered in the 5th C.

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by this project or by my work in general 

or if you would simply like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com  

or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

 

   You can also

SUBSCRIBE to my

NEWSLETTER

to receive regular updates on my work

and my other projects.

 

The Mosaics at Tel Aviv Airport

The first thing you see when you arrive at Tel Aviv Airport is a set of 3 huge mosaics above the gate to the Immigration lines ! 

 

On the Left, a magnificent mosaic floor was discovered in a Byzantine structure (5th-6th C AD) in BethLehem of the Galilee  features animals, birds, trees, grapes, and geometric patterns.

 

On the Upper Right a mosaic floor from Beth-Shean was dated to the Byzantine period, 5-6th Century AD. It is decorated with a pattern of green parrots, each bird wearing a ribbon tied around its neck.  

 

 

 

The Greek inscription at the top reads : "Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out." (Deuteronomy 28:6). This text from the Bible is indeed appropriate for welcoming the visitors to the Holy Land.

On the Lower Right, the 6th Century AD mosaic on display comes from Caesarea Maritima. It is lavishly decorated with birds, geometric shapes, animals and trees, and in its center a woman holds a fruit basket. Her Greek name, Kalokeria, is inscribed around the figure and suggests prosperity.

 

 

 

 

I am a modern mosaic artist with a deep admiration for ancient Greek, Roman and Byzantine Arts. You can see some of my own mosaics on my site mosaicblues.

 

If you are interested by my work

or if you would like to drop me a line, please 

contact me by email at frederic.lecut@gmail.com  

or by phone at (334) 798 1639. 

 

 

You can also

SUBSCRIBE to my

NEWSLETTER

to receive regular updates on my present

Yezidi Eyes Mosaic Project, 

and my other projects.