Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1056047
ART + DECORATION 80 MIRRORED TILE, ITALIAN STYLE W hen I visited Versailles, the hall of mirrors took my breath away. On a 240-foot-long wall, 357 mirrors with a perfect centuries-old foxed patina reflect the sprawling gardens seen through 17 glass doors on the opposite wall. Politician Jean-Baptiste Colbert enticed Venetian artisans to France to make the mirrors, which were extremely expensive to produce in the 17th century, as the Venetian Republic held the monopoly. One could argue Italians still produce the most fabulous mirrors today. Ann Sacks seems to agree: The company has introduced Vedere, a mirrored glass tile handcrafted by artisans from Siena, Italy. The shimmering tile shifts in soft colors with a mottled and flecked surface, giving it the appearance of mirror that has aged over time. Exacting handcraftsmanship melds with modern oxidation processes to create the pattern variations. The hand- cut tiles — generously sized as 15.5-inch squares, with custom sizes available — are suitable for indoor wall applications and can be used on wet, non-submerged surfaces, such as shower walls. The three standard Vedere hues are Diamanta, muted silver accented by silver and soft gold; Luna, highly polished with dark silver streaks; and Soladite, honed silver with gold and dark silver mottling. The premium shade Stella di Polvera is a polished mirror in soft blush, mottled with gold. We may just create our own petite hall of mirrors. Ann Sacks Vedere tile, from $99 per square foot, at Ann Sacks, 2800 Kirby Dr., The Shops at Arrive (formerly West Ave), annsacks. com. Anne Lee Phillips T el Aviv-born Ori Gersht employs an unorthodox practice to create his still-life photographs — one that involves an air rifle. The London-based lensman debuts at Talley Dunn Gallery, where his post-modern still lifes are based on re-creations plumbed from art history — think Chardin, Zurbarán, and Morandi. As such, Gersht is completely in step with a long line of artists who have dialogued with the past, from John Singer Sargent to Roy Lichtenstein and Picasso, and recent talents such as Sharon Core, who also works in the still life tradition. But Gersht's photography possesses a perilous element: Appearing to deconstruct before our eye, these images nonetheless maintain a beautiful allure. Ripe, gleaming fruit, the pristine surfaces of a teapot ornamented with dainty flowers, although exploding, and a lineup of beautiful bisque vases that shatter like the destruction of an atom. A fitting metaphor for our times, indeed. "Ori Gersht: New Orders," at Talley Dunn Gallery, through January 19; talleydunn.com. Catherine D. Anspon UNSTILL LIFE COURTESY THE ARTIST AND TALLEY DUNN GALLERY Ori Gersht's New Orders 04 - Untitled 02, 2018, at Talley Dunn Gallery COURTESY THE ARTIST AND TALLEY DUNN GALLERY Ori Gersht's Ever Time 05, 2018, at Talley Dunn Gallery Ann Sacks Vedere field tile in Stelle di Polvere