Tessellis - Gaudi style generative mosaic

Tessellis in Latin mosaic, is a project inspired in Antoni Gaudi style mosaic. This technique was called “Trencadis”. This type of mosaic is made with irregular ceramic fragments joined with mortar. It is an architectural technique used during Catalan Modernism and invented by him.

Antoni Gaudí was the designer of the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona among many other artworks.

He needed to create the “trencadis” for several reasons:

For its optical effect: The reflection of the sun on the tiles made the mosaic seem to be alive, in movement, in continuous transformation like nature. At the same time, the bright colors of the glass offered a more cheerful and innovative image of Barcelona at the beginning of the 20th century.

For its spontaneity: “Trencadís” is a spontaneous, unpredictable, abstract and creative process. It is not essential that there be a previous drawing or design.

Due to the need to recycle: He was attracted by the idea of finding a second use for the waste he found in the streets, in construction factories or on his walks along the beach. Renovating and giving another “new” use to elements makes Gaudí the first man concerned and interested in recycling in our era.

For its adaptability: The traditional or classic mosaic of ancient Rome and Greece was used to cover walls and floors, flat surfaces due to its hardness and poor adaptability. The “Trencadis”, is the skin that covers the structures and architectural elements of Gaudi. Adaptable and flexible, the “Trencadis” allowed Gaudí to cover curved and voluptuous forms: columns, balconies, stairs, chimneys, etc.

“Tessellis” is my personal tribute to Antoni Gaudí’s fascinating mosaics that he made at the beginning of the 20th century, during Catalan Modernism. I have tried to simulate, with code, his mosaics, using the same colors but giving it my personal touch, resulting in an interactive work of art that comes to life.

The work has the following commands:

Press “c” start motion
Press “space bar” stop motion
Press “0” for diagonal motion
Press “1” for vertical motion
Press “2” for horizontal motion
Click on tiles to break them

Enjoy!!

Artwork by Javier Lorsan, @JavierLorsan.
Made with p5js