2025
Polychrome Stone Tesserae
29 x 27 in (74 x 96 cm)
This piece blurs the boundary between painting and mosaic. From a distance, the image resembles a monochrome drawing. Up close, the viewer discovers thousands of finely cut stone tesserae that bring depth, structure, and permanence to the work.
The composition presents a lion-man, interpreted as a modern portrayal of the sphinx. In classical mythology, the sphinx is a hybrid creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. Here, the myth is distilled into a striking dual portrait. The lion’s eye appears on the left side of the face while the human eye occupies the right. Their features converge at the center, and the lion’s mane flows naturally into the man’s beard, creating a seamless visual connection.
Alexander Aboutaam wanted to emphasize the use of subdued grays, creams, and earth tones to emphasize the texture and direction of the tesserae. Carefully placed cuts suggest both fur and hair, reinforcing the union of the two beings. The use of vertical slices is a new technique that Aboutaam has been working on. It brings a new element to mosaics that is often not seen, even in the ancient styles that inspire his work.
This work is the first of the ‘Metamorphoses’ collection, which depicts gods, humans, and animals as on in the same, inspired by ancient practices of fusing these portrayals as one.
The figures’ gaze and full beard make the viewer contemplate, placing him somewhere between human, animal, and abstract form. The unique quality of this piece, as well as being the only edition created, set it apart amongst Aboutaam’s works. The final touch is the sturdy and lovely pale ash wood frame, bringing balance to the composition.
2025
Polychrome Stone Tesserae
29 x 27 in (74 x 96 cm)
This piece blurs the boundary between painting and mosaic. From a distance, the image resembles a monochrome drawing. Up close, the viewer discovers thousands of finely cut stone tesserae that bring depth, structure, and permanence to the work.
The composition presents a lion-man, interpreted as a modern portrayal of the sphinx. In classical mythology, the sphinx is a hybrid creature with the head of a man, the body of a lion, and the wings of an eagle. Here, the myth is distilled into a striking dual portrait. The lion’s eye appears on the left side of the face while the human eye occupies the right. Their features converge at the center, and the lion’s mane flows naturally into the man’s beard, creating a seamless visual connection.
Alexander Aboutaam wanted to emphasize the use of subdued grays, creams, and earth tones to emphasize the texture and direction of the tesserae. Carefully placed cuts suggest both fur and hair, reinforcing the union of the two beings. The use of vertical slices is a new technique that Aboutaam has been working on. It brings a new element to mosaics that is often not seen, even in the ancient styles that inspire his work.
This work is the first of the ‘Metamorphoses’ collection, which depicts gods, humans, and animals as on in the same, inspired by ancient practices of fusing these portrayals as one.
The figures’ gaze and full beard make the viewer contemplate, placing him somewhere between human, animal, and abstract form. The unique quality of this piece, as well as being the only edition created, set it apart amongst Aboutaam’s works. The final touch is the sturdy and lovely pale ash wood frame, bringing balance to the composition.
Polychrome Stone Tesserae
2025
Handcrafted by Rami Hann
29 x 27 in (74 x 69 cm)
