A tribute to the art of mosaic. The association for social and cultural development in the province of Alicante, Despalic, has scheduled for Friday, March 1, a conference titled The Art of the Muses, at 7:00 PM, in the association’s sociocultural venue located on Radiofonista Álvarez Antón street, between San Blas and Alipark.
The lecture will be delivered by artist and physician Néstor Daniel Garramone Trinchieri. Although trained as a pediatric surgeon and having practiced for many years at the General Hospital Doctor Balmis in Alicante, his life has long kept art close to him. He developed his artistic work in watercolor painting under the guidance of Gerard. It was not until 1999 that he directed his energy toward mosaic as a form of artistic expression, training in mosaic techniques at the Roman Mosaic School (TEAC) in Alcalá de Henares. Later he completed his training in Ravenna and at the Friuli School in Italy.
His contribution has turned Alicante into a region rich in mosaic art, with numerous large-scale works found in sites such as the church of San Pedro in Playa de San Juan, both on the main altar and the side walls; the façade of the Bishopric Chapel of Alicante; the emblem of the Orfeón of Sant Joan d’Alacant; and several works commissioned for private individuals.
He is also part of the International Association of Contemporary Mosaic (AIMC) and collaborates representing Spain at the Opere dil Mondo exhibition held by the organization every two years. In addition, he teaches Mosaic at the Playas Senior Center since retiring as a surgeon and is immersed in his new work, Esculapio, at the Alicante Medical Association.
“The conference is named The Art of the Muses because the Muses regarded mosaic as one of the most important expressive arts in Roman times,” the lecturer notes. In this way, the talk aims to introduce mosaic history from its beginnings in ancient Mesopotamia, where clay tesserae were first used, later replicated by Greeks during Alexander the Great’s era with river stones. “Let us clarify that the term tessera is the minimal unit of the mosaic, a cube of different colors combined to create an image,” Garramone explains. Thus, the conference intends to be a survey of mosaic history up to the present, recounting how it has taken root in Alicante province.
Significance of Mosaic
Although mosaic artworks are large and imposing, they have often stood in the background due to the high costs of creation. Garramone notes that frescoes displaced mosaics in the Byzantine period because they were cheaper and easier to produce. Consequently, this event seeks to honor a style that once defined a significant era in art.
Today, Garramone continues to foster interest in mosaic at the Playas Senior Center and to showcase national works to international audiences. This talk by Despalic, free to the public until capacity is reached, continues the mission of dissemination and remembrance.
It represents another initiative by Julio de España, former president of the Alicante Provincial Council, to promote cultural activities that highlight the province’s history. Through this effort, the sociocultural association remains active, delivering public, culturally relevant programs for the people of Alicante.