Cincinnati Fireplace 1980

This is Joyce Kozloff's Cincinnati Fireplace, an installation of painted tiles arranged around a fireplace. Just look at the way she fearlessly lays out those multi-colored stars! She’s not just decorating; she's building a whole new visual experience. The piece is all about the surface. Each tile is a little universe, and Kozloff’s choice of colors – those greens, yellows, blues, pinks – really brings the whole fireplace to life. What’s neat is how the individual tiles have a kind of handmade quality, with slight variations. It makes you think about the process of making, the artist’s hand at work. Check out the way the tiles meet to the right of the fireplace opening. It isn't perfect, and in this imperfection is an honesty which is so compelling. Kozloff’s work reminds me a bit of some of the pattern and decoration artists like Valerie Jaudon, who also used pattern to create really complex, layered experiences. It’s a reminder that art can be both beautiful and smart, decorative and deep.