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A Portal to Paradise: The Mosaics in Clerkenwell

A Portal to Paradise: The Mosaics in Clerkenwell
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The mosaic at London Design Week as a pixelated portal to paradise.

During Clerkenwell Design Week 2026, TREND Group collaborated with artist Lakwena Maciver and Solus on the creation of Sidequest: Mosaics as Pixelated Portals to Paradise, an installation that explored the dialogue between the ancient art of mosaic and contemporary visual language.

Presented at the Solus showroom in Clerkenwell, the installation transformed mosaic into a storytelling medium capable of connecting tradition, imagination and digital culture through a series of monumental panels characterised by vibrant colours, bold geometries and a strong visual impact.

From artistic vision to mosaic

For TREND Group, the project represented a unique opportunity to put its expertise at the service of one of the most compelling voices in contemporary art. Lakwena’s graphic language, composed of patterns, symbols and intense colour compositions, was translated into mosaic through a combination of traditional and contemporary techniques. Each panel was carefully developed to preserve the original energy of the drawings while enhancing the expressive qualities of glass tesserae.

TREND Group and the Orsoni Venezia 1888 furnace

The creation of the artworks involved a wide range of expertise within the group. The mosaics were developed using an extensive selection of colours and finishes, combining contemporary materials with the historic Venetian smalti produced by Orsoni Venezia 1888.

The collaboration made it possible to explore the potential of mosaic as a contemporary artistic language while preserving a craft heritage deeply rooted in the Venetian tradition.

A particularly significant moment in the project was Lakwena’s visit to Italy, where she had the opportunity to meet TREND’s teams and discover Orsoni’s extraordinary colour heritage firsthand. Direct contact with the materials, surfaces and colours helped shape many of the choices that ultimately defined the project.

Between pixels and tesserae

The project originated from a reflection on the concept of worldbuilding. Lakwena was inspired by the way mosaics have historically functioned as portals to spiritual and symbolic worlds, drawing a parallel with the role of pixels in contemporary digital environments and video games.

Behind the scenes of the mosaic making process

This connection between mosaic and pixel became the conceptual foundation of Sidequest: both create larger realities from small, independent units.

Building on this concept, the artist’s drawings were subsequently translated into mosaic through different production methods. Some panels were created using a grid-based approach, where each tessera was treated as a pixel; others were developed using software designed to simulate the decisions of traditional mosaicists, adapting the orientation and composition of the tesserae to the forms and movement of the design.

Alongside these works, selected hand motifs were crafted entirely by master mosaicists, highlighting the timeless value of human interpretation and artisanal expertise.

A project that brings tradition and contemporary design together

Sidequest demonstrates how mosaic continues to be a language capable of engaging with the present. Through the collaboration of artist, designers, artisans and specialised technicians, the project gave life to a work that transcends the boundaries between art, architecture and design.

For TREND Group, this experience represents another example of how innovation and tradition can coexist, transforming a centuries-old technique into a thoroughly contemporary means of expression.

Visit information

For visitors wishing to learn more about the project:

Details & Program: : Solus Journal
Location: Solus Clerkenwell, 80 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1M 5RJ

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