mosaic
All That We Hold
2020
permanent installation, commissioned by the North York Women's Shelter
glass, ceramic, grout & Weldbond on Crezon board
3 feet x 2.5 feet
Image Description: Wide oval shaped mosaic featuring an outstretch hand, palm up, in browns, pinks and oranges. Behind it is a big round yellow sun and large blue and white ocean waves. In the bottom right corner is a smaller circle, resembling a full moon.
Photo by Wy Joung Kou
The Tiger
2020
funded and supported by the JRG Society for the Arts
glass, ceramic, stone, grout & Weldbond adhesive on plywood
2 feet x 4 feet
Image Description: Tall rectangular mosaic featuring a large orange tiger, roaring and emerging out from the grasses, trees and rocks. Photo taken outdoors in natural sunlight. Photo by Wy Joung Kou
Light, and Light, and Light, Glistening and Alive
2018
funded by the Ontario Arts Council
glass, ceramic, grout & Weldbond adhesive on plywood
2 feet x 2 feet
2 feet x 1 foot
2 feet x 2 feet
Image Description: Series of three mosaics depicting 1) front side of a torso, from nipples down to just above the groin (square mosaic) 2) low back (smaller rectangular mosaic) 3) side profile from mid belly down to mid thigh (square mosaic). Mosaics feature an array of both warm and cold colours and have these colourful lines throughout, defining the contours, grooves, and curves of the body.
Photos by Yann Garcia
Hard Water / Soft Water
2018
created at the Intergenerational LGBT Artist Residency
with material budget sponsorship from Red Dress Productions
glass, ceramic, grout & Weldbond on plywood
series of 6: 8 inches x 8 inches each
Image Description: Six square mosaics depicting various water scenes. Three of them show large curling ocean waves, and three of them show more abstract interpretations of calmer lake waters. Colour scheme is mostly blues, greens, white and black, with touches of warmer colours throughout.
Photos by Wy Joung Kou
Street Health "Growth" Community Mosaic Project
2018
project supported by Red Dress Productions (RDP) and the Ontario Arts Council
mural design and artistic lead: Wy Joung Kou
artist interns: Aaron Bowerman, Dan Buckley, Tomas Cavalheiro-Chin
RDP artistic co-directors: Anna Camilleri and Tristan R. Whiston
permanent public outdoor installation at Street Health, 338 Dundas Street East, Toronto
porcelain, glass, stone, grout & Weldbond on MDO sheet
16 feet x 3 feet
This project emerged following RDP's first community-engaged mosaic project and installation at Street Health earlier in 2018. Using art-based research findings from the first project, the Growth mural was designed using themes and imagery suggestions put forth by Street Health community members. The mural was constructed over an 8-week period with community members in open studio drop-in sessions as well as in closed artistic mentorship sessions with artist interns. Kou embarked on this project under Tristan and Anna's mentorship to undertake and complete their first outdoor large-scale mosaic design and community-engaged project in an artistic lead position.
Image Description: One full wide shot of the entire mosaic, and two close-up detail shots. The mosaic is a long, irregular shaped strip resembling rolling hills with one circle at the top of each hill. From left to right, the 8 circles grow in size and show evolving scenes of sprouts blossoming into flowers against a blue sky background. The "rolling hills" strip is made up of colourful layers resembling grass, soil, clay, an underground blue river, and finally bedrock at the bottom, created with dark coloured polished pebbles.
Photos by Zoe Gemelli