Renowned Canadian artist Lilian Broca’s
monumental mosaic series,
“The Queen Esther Mosaics”
celebrated in a stunning new book
The Hidden and the Revealed:
The Queen Esther Mosaics of Lilian Broca
One of the most exquisite series of mosaics in contemporary art is celebrated in a newly released, lavishly illustrated large format book entitled The Hidden and the Revealed: The Queen Esther Mosaics of Lilian Broca. Published by Gefen Publishing House of Jerusalem and New York, the book marks the culmination of a journey that began in 2002 with the first completed work in the series.
Queen Esther Revealing Her True Identity - mosaic detail 2 - Lilian Broca
In a stirring testament to the significance of Broca’s masterpiece, renowned American artist and feminist Judy Chicago writes in the book’s preface: “The Queen Esther Mosaics by Lilian Broca contribute to the vital historic task of what the biblical scholar Naomi Graetz called for in S/He Created Them: Feminist Retelling of Biblical Tales (Chapel Hill, NC: Professional Press, 1993): ‘…to put woman’s voice back where it should have been in the first place.’”
Esther's Offering - mosaic detail 4 - Lilian Broca
The ten monumentally sized works in the series retell the biblical story of Esther in dazzling detail, using the finest of Italian colored mosaic glass, plus gold leaf and other precious materials. The work won the prestigious Lorenzo de’ Medici medal at the 2003 Florence Biennale.
Haman Leading Mordechai on Royal Horse - mosaic detail 5 - Lilian Broca
In addition to showcasing the spectacular mosaics, the book includes a chapter by art historian Sheila Campbell comparing Broca’s interpretation of the Esther story to that of other artists such as Rembrandt and Artemisia Gentileschi, and a highly evocative epic prose poem written in the voice of Esther by rabbi and scholar Yosef Wosk.
Queen Esther Seeking Permission to Speak - mosaic detail 9 - Lilian Broca
The book begins with Vancouver artist Broca’s own lively description of her emigration from war-torn Romania to Israel and ultimately to Canada. She goes on to reveal what led her to tell the story of Esther in the medium of mosaics, describing as well the meticulous process involved in using ancient artistic techniques with a contemporary sensibility. The book is rounded out with the full text of Esther in handsomely calligraphed Hebrew alongside an English translation.
Queen esther Seeking Permission to Speak - mosaic detail 12 - Lilian Broca
As Broca writes, “I trust that this series, the final segment that completes a circle in my life’s artistic creation, would please the old Byzantine masters. And in doing so, I also hope my mosaics have brought new light to the fascinating, multifaceted story of Esther.”
Queen Esther Seeking Permission to speak in Progress - mosaic detail 9 - Lilian Broca
The Hidden and the Revealed: The Queen Esther Mosaics of Lilian Broca
Lilian Broca, Sheila Campbell, Yosef Wosk
Published by Gefen Publishing House Ltd., Israel and New York
ISBN: 9789652295606
$35, hardcover
Available Nov. 1, 2011 at Mosaic Art Source
or if you’re like me & can’t wait,
please go ahead & pre-order this
“must have” for mosaic artists everywhere
right now at:
The Hidden and The Revealed; The Queen Esther Mosaics of Lilian Broca
Queen Esther with Mordechai - mosaic detail 4 - Lilian Broca
BOOK LAUNCH & RECEPTION
Lilian Broca, Sheila Campbell and Yosef Wosk
The Hidden and the Revealed: The Queen Esther Mosaics of Lilian Broca
Sunday, November 27 – 8:00PM
Norman Rothstein Theatre
950 West 41st Avenue
Vancouver (604) 257 5111
Queen esther with Mordechai in progress - mosaic detail 4 - Lilian Broca
For more information or high-res images from the book and series,
or to schedule an interview with any of the contributors, please contact:
Michaela Cornell, publicist (Toronto, Canada)
mcornell@rogers.com/647-274-6112
Lilian Broca in her art studio working on last mosaic
Contributors
Artist Lilian Broca’s career has spanned three decades, including thirteen years teaching painting and drawing. A recipient of the 2003 Florence Biennale gold medal, her work has been featured in sixty-five exhibitions in Canada, the United States, and Europe. Celebrated for her spirited exploration of contemporary societal issues in a variety of media, Broca draws on historical iconography, legends, and popular myths.
Archaeologist, art historian, and curator Sheila Campbell has published widely on ancient and contemporary mosaics and Byzantine art. A Professor Emerita at the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, she has curated many exhibitions, including a showcase of the Scuola di Mosaici (Friuli, Italy) at the Royal Ontario Museum.
Scholar, rabbi and former Simon Fraser University professor Yosef Wosk took inspiration from Broca’s mosaics to create a lyrical prose poem in the voice of Esther. The prose is accompanied by notes illuminating Wosk’s extensive investigation of biblical and mythological aspects of the Esther story.
Mosaic Art Source 