Saving The Poet’s Beard

After decades of weathering taking a toll on Ben Shahn’s mosaic, “The Poet’s Beard”, we are thrilled to announce a successful restoration!

Russian mosaicist Vladimir Aituganov and his son Alexei conducted a painstaking process to inspect and tend to the areas of concern. It took a thorough cleaning followed by the replacement of deteriorated adhesive with appropriate mortar and the damaged, discolored or missing tesserae with new ones. To complete the revival, we crafted a fresh wooden frame (previously gnawed at by squirrels and carpenter bees), remodeled the landscaping to avoid back-splashing, and redesigned the drip edge to better protect and preserve the mosaic in the future.

In the mid 60s noted American artist and social realist, Ben Shahn, became captivated by a uniquely canted exterior wall of George Nakashima’s Arts Building while witnessing its construction.

Moved by the beauty of the architecture and the inherent protection from the elements that this particular cant offered, Shahn would go on to design an enduring mosaic to grace his friend’s building — a mark of beauty that remains a prominent feature to this day.

After Shahn’s passing in 1969, George and his son, Kevin, entrusted the maquette to the Atelier of Gabriel Loire in Chartres, France where the concept was realized in memoriam. The atelier had a strong understanding of Shahn’s line treatment, color, and tile preference after constructing several of his earlier mosaics.

The piece was crafted from small bits of marble and glass (also known as tessera) in 1971, and installed the same year. It consists of eight panels — each 84 ¼ “ high and 35” long — for a total length of about 23’ 4” that is surrounded by a wooden frame.

Now, the striking gift of quietude is informally known as “The Poet’s Beard”, as Shahn’s illustrative inspiration came from the beard of a figure in his earlier lithograph, “The Poet.” The mosaic’s seemingly abstract design makes it a rather unique work in his oeuvre.