Carried out by: MgA. Barbora Viková (Vařejková), MgA. Petr Hampl, BcA. Marián Grančák
Teaching supervision: Mgr. art. Jan Vojtěchovský, Ph.D.
In the communist era, many new housing estates of prefabricated panel blocks of flats were erected. When the first housing estate of such a type in Chomutov was built, it was decorated with artworks, like the others. In that way, the act stating that between 1 and 4 % of the total budget must be spent on decoration was obeyed. The first prefab panel housing estate that was built at the turn of the 60s and 70s acquired two round mosaic panels made in the mosaic workshop of the Centre of Handicraft. They were created according to the designs by sculptor and painter Jaroslav Bejček. Passers-by can admire the bright blue glass mosaic with a dreamy motif that is installed on the facade of the shopping centre Luna. On the other hand, not many people know there used to be another mosaic until recently, installed on the wall of the courtyard, which was supposed to decorate the atrium of the local restaurant.
The colourful mosaic with a motif of a stylised female figure was interesting for experts because of its non-traditional embedding method. In most mosaics, cement mortar was used as the bedding material for the mosaic tesserae. In this case, the glass tesserae were chipped and embedded in epoxy resin in the back and, at the same time, reinforced with a metal armature with a circumferential frame. After several years, the method of embedding proved to be unsuitable because it could not guarantee the mosaic durability.
The low resistance of epoxy to the effects of climatic conditions resulted in massive damage to the base layer and the reinforcing steel construction; it caused a significant problem – extensive losses in the area of the central figure’s head. Because there was a threat of the original material ongoing losses, in 2016, talks with the owner were initiated to transport the mosaic urgently to a restoration workshop. In May of the same year, it could be brought to the studio of the Faculty of Restoration, University of Pardubice. A restoration plan was designed, and the complete treatment of the mosaic could commence.
The treatment lay chiefly in the replacement of the deteriorated epoxy bedding for a new one. Within the Restoration of mosaics made of glass and stone of the Czech mosaic school project, a completely new system of embedding method was developed – the mosaic tesserae were embedded in a base aluminium panel with inorganic mortar. The new system is characterised by much higher stability; it also provides an option to detach the full support. It employs lighter materials; thus, handling the artwork is much easier. Besides the base replacement, overall cleaning of the mosaic and completing all the damaged areas were performed. Based on the historical photographs, it was possible to reconstruct the extensive missing part with the woman’s head.
In 2019, the mosaic was moved back in Chomutov. It is placed in the interior of the basic school Na Příkopech, where is it accessible to the general public.
