Content warning: On Facebook. Thanks to Benita Marquez for this photo and info!: The beautiful mosaic tiled steps of 16th Avenue & Moraga Street. Artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher created the mosaic design, a colorful, flowing, sea-to-sky theme, with fish near the
On Facebook. Thanks to Benita Marquez for this photo and info!: The beautiful mosaic tiled steps of 16th Avenue & Moraga Street. Artists Aileen Barr and Colette Crutcher created the mosaic design, a colorful, flowing, sea-to-sky theme, with fish near the foot of the steps and birds, leaves and stars near the top. The mosaic consists of 163 separate mosaic panels, one for each step riser. Community members were able to participate directly in creating the panels via a series of workshops that the artists held during summer 2004. San Francisco ~ California.
Content warning: Mosaic in old town of Hvar, Croatia Roman mosaic re-discovered last year (2021) in Stari Grad, Hvar island, Croatia. Photos from Muzej Staroga Grada / Stari Grad Museum. Muzej Staroga Grada / Stari Grad Museum: The mosaics are decorated with multicolor ge
Muzej Staroga Grada / Stari Grad Museum: The mosaics are decorated with multicolor geometric and floral motifs and are of superior workmanship. By analogy with similar mosaics and known workshop styles, thy can be dated to the 2nd century AD. We will have a better insight into the purpose of this luxurious building of the Roman Faria after the analysis and interpretation of archaeological finds and after merging all the plans of rooms with mosaic floors under surrounding houses, which were excavated in previous decades.
In the world of street art, where walls, buildings, and other vertical surfaces often steal the show, Ememem brings something refreshingly different to the table — or rather, to the pavement.
Known as the “pavement surgeon,” this French street artist transforms cracks, potholes, and other urban blemishes into stunning mosaic artworks. With a trowel in hand and tiles at the ready, Ememem has made a name by bringing beauty to what most people overlook.
Ememem’s unique practice is known as “flacking,” a term the artist coined to describe the act of filling urban cracks with intricate designs. The colorful patterns often stand out against the dull grays of asphalt and concrete. Each piece transforming damage into art.
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The first flacking by Ememem
From Lyon to the World
Based in Lyon, France, Ememem started flacking in 2016. The artist’s works have since spread to streets across Europe, making appearances in cities like Paris, Madrid, and Milan. Every piece is site-specific, tailored to the unique shape and character of each crack or hole. Whether it’s a geometric explosion of color or a more subdued design that blends with the environment, Ememem’s mosaics are unmistakable.
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Democratizing Public Space
Ememem’s art does more than beautify streets; it also reclaims public spaces for everyone. By addressing overlooked areas and elevating them through art, the artist highlights the power of creativity in transforming everyday environments. The work is accessible to all, reinforcing the idea that art doesn’t need to be confined to galleries or museums.
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Themes and Inspiration
The mosaics often reflect themes of repair, resilience, and humor. Some designs include playful patterns that mimic flowers, mandalas, or traditional tilework, while others incorporate messages or hidden symbols. This blend of craft and commentary invites viewers to look closer and engage with the art on a personal level. Each piece tells a story of renewal, where broken streets are given new life.
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Viral Appeal
With the rise of social media, Ememem’s works have gained global recognition. The striking visuals are a favorite for Instagram, where hashtags like #flacking and #urbanart help spread the artist’s creations to audiences far beyond the streets where they’re found. The visually compelling mosaics often go viral. Follow Ememem Instagram here.
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Whether you stumble upon one of Ememem’s pieces while walking to work or see them shared online, their impact is undeniable.
They challenge us to see the cracks in our world not as flaws but as opportunities for creativity and connection.
No future for the potholes!
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Flacking against the gray void
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J.O PARIS 2024.Village Olympique
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Angled Balkan Flacking and four feet
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In Ankara, Türkiye
Ememem: In Ankara, I met a great artist, a great poet, Onur Bolat. It was a pleasure to walk through the night in the Ankara I would never have discovered on my own. A big thank you to you and to Dobby
Would you like to see Ememem’s mosaic art (Flacking!) in your city?
24K likes, 114 comments - ememem.flacking on July 1, 2025: "In Ankara, I met a great artist, a great poet, @hikmeti_tabiyeci. It was a pleasure to walk through the night in the Ankara I would never have discovered on my own.
RIMSKI MOZAICI U UNESCO ZAŠTIĆENOJ POVIJESNOJ JEZGRI STAROGA GRADA
Fotografije: Vilma Matulić (Muzej Staroga Grada)
👉 U Starome Gradu na otoku Hvaru u tijeku su arheološka istraživanja koja se...
Content warning: Mosaic Artist Gary Drostle By Gary Drostle in London, UK. Gary Drostle: On leaving Art College in 1984 I was determined to create work outside of the gallery system. I wanted to make work out in public spaces. Works which harmonized with, and were part of
Gary Drostle: On leaving Art College in 1984 I was determined to create work outside of the gallery system. I wanted to make work out in public spaces. Works which harmonized with, and were part of, our built environment.
This vision was inspired by my long fascination with classical and ancient art and my own belief in art as an expression of all of our existence, open and accessible to all.
Over the course of more than thirty years dedicated to creating site specific artworks that original passion has only increased as I have become more aware of our relationship with our environment and my skills to create such work have broadened and developed.
Gary Drostle: The whole world of graffiti and street art I find extremely vibrant and inspiring and I am very honored to have had the opportunity to create with or alongside some great street artists including an amazing project with InkCrew in Bogota and international mosaic artists in Santiago, Chile. I have also taken part in the UpFest, Bristol and the Street Art Biennale in Cali, Colombia.
Gary Drostle: Koi lily pond mosaic – There’s something about making the surface of water in mosaic that completely captivates me but at the same time is endlessly frustrating as inevitably I fail to capture it. Each one pushes me on to the next.
Ancient Inspiration
Gary Drostle: My first and greatest inspiration has always been ancient art. From cave paintings to Greek Black Figure vases and on to the fabulous mosaic floors of the Roman world.
I studied Classics at school and find the British Museum in London is the place I return to again and again. My ‘logo’ of course was inspired by the many ghostly hands found on ancient cave sites around the world, perhaps the original signature.
Not a hand print but the impression left by a hand removed these ancient signatures for me symbolize the effect we leave behind on our environment and also represent a very open and democratic view of artistic participation.
There are two attributes of much of these works that particularly inspire me. One is the integration of these works with the human environment, they are knitted into the everyday life and culture in a way that our society seems to have almost forgotten. The second attribute is the balance of meaning, pattern and abstraction that is something I continuously aspire to.
The first flacking by Ememem
