Mosaics From Tunisia Shows Roman Empire Art
By Kim Se-jeong
Staff Reporter
A rare exhibition opened last week. The Embassy of Tunisia, a country in northern Africa, has brought some 20 mosaic works for display at Raemian Gallery in Unni-dong, southern Seoul.
The ones on display are not the actual mosaic works, an assemblage of small colored stones, glass or other material that could weigh hundreds of kilograms per work.
They are copies of the original mosaics that are preserved in two major museums ― Bardo Museum and Sousse Museum ― in Tunisia. However, a few handy originals ― the size of a laptop ― did make it to the Seoul exhibition.
Tunisian Ambassador Mustapha Kammari said the timing of the exhibition couldn't be better as this year celebrates the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Tunisia and Korea.
Most of the works were created between the second and third centuries A.D., during which the Roman Empire was in the region.
Roman god and goddess ― Venus and Neptune ― and the Greek mythological character Medusa were the subject of depiction, along with different animals and human figures.
Mosaics in this part of the world served not only as interior decoration of the Roman villas, hanging on the walls, but also as part of architecture, paved on the floors of buildings.
The exhibition in Seoul will continue through June 19. The envoy hoped to take it on a national tour, showing it at major cities in Korea. Admission is free. For more information, call the gallery at (02)765-3304.