The Revival of The Gorgeous Mosaic Murals Gracing The UC Berkeley Building
(4 min read) After more than 50 years of usage as a simple storage space, the crumbling 1904 structure known as the Old Art Gallery is finally getting a much-needed revamping. Its most notable features, 18-by-10-foot colorful mosaics, are currently being repaired and restored, so that future generations of UC Berkeley can enjoy them in all of their intricate glory.
If you’ve ever had the pleasure of taking a walk across the UC Berkeley campus you’ve probably stopped to admire the facade of the small one-story red brick building near Strawberry Creek. The amazing Byzantine-style mosaic tile murals gracing its east facade were always somewhat of a marvel on this otherwise quite ordinary decaying building.
Gorgeous mosaic artworks depict people playing music, dancing, sculpting, and painting. Mosaics were installed in 1936 and 1937 as part of the Works Progress Administration. Four large-scale mosaic murals, adorning the shallow arched niches of the building are called “Music and Painting” and “Sculpture and Dancing”.
The mosaic mural “Music and Painting” was designed and created by the famous abstract artist Florence Alston Swift. Swift was born in San Francisco, CA in 1890. As a San Francisco native, she began her art studies at the Mark Hopkins Art Institute, known today as the San Francisco Art Institute. She completed her studies in New York where she became an esteemed member of the influential group called American Abstract Artist. Swift exhibited her masterpieces in venues in San Francisco, New York, Philadelphia, and more.
Swift’s panel features two colorfully dressed women playing violins and one woman carrying paintbrushes and a painting palette. Swift also designed and created charming patterns around the doorway and to the right side of the building.
The “Sculpture and Dancing” mosaic mural was officially designed by Helen Bruton, but it was in fact a joined effort of three women. At the time only one family member could be employed by the Works Progress Administration, so Bruton and her sisters, Margaret and Esther, completed the mural with Helen Bruton as the lead artist. Their mosaic mural depicts a man carving stone with a hammer and a chisel, and three women dancing. It is said that the Bruton sisters used Robert Boardman Howard, son of architect John Galen Howard, as a model for the man.
Bruton sisters were exceptionally talented Bay Area artists who were actively creating art from the early 1920s through the 1960s. During their long-lasting and prolific careers, they’ve mastered a wide variety of different mediums, including watercolor, oil painting, printmaking, terrazzo, and, most famously, mosaic art. Their large-scale mosaic created for Mother’s Building is considered to be the first publicly executed mosaic in San Francisco.
When John Galen Howard designed the building more than a century ago its function was that of a power house. Once the renovations are over the building will return to its original function, becoming the Switch Station #8. However, this time it will be fulfilling its original purpose as part of the Clean Energy Campus, helping Berkeley transition to 100% clean energy by 2030.
So, as the world is moving forward and humanity is marching into hopefully some more conscious and sustainable times, we shouldn’t forget our art. I say “our” because public art in deed is ours and before we start creating anew, we should take care of those old witnesses that silently and gracefully followed us through centuries. Decaying mosaic murals on our buildings, crumbling gargoyles on our churches, discolored stone sculptures gracing our squares, decaying canvases on our interior walls… Let’s revive them before it’s too late.
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43 Comments
That Berkley building is something! The beauty really shows off when you look at the walls from a distance.
Im lucky enough to have had the pleasure of taking a walk across the UC Berkeley campus. It was gorgeous with all the murals!
Oh cool! I love that this is being restored. Such a beautiful piece of mosaic artwork for everybody to enjoy.
It sounds like there are a number of lovely mosiacs there to go and see. It’s great that the one at the art gallery is being repaired.
The artwork is so impressive…the time and detailing that must have gone into this. Truly so beautiful and expressive.
I think it’s so amazing that they’re reinvigorating these. These mosaics are so beautiful.
Those mosaics are amazing! I’m glad they’re being revived. It’s a shame when great art like that is neglected.
These mosaics are very nice and intricate! I love them! It’s good that these are revived so the future generation can see these awesome masterpieces!
Wow, I’m absolutely thrilled to learn about the revival of the stunning mosaic murals at UC Berkeley! The article beautifully captures the historical significance and artistic beauty of these murals. It’s heartwarming to see efforts to preserve and restore such cultural treasures for future generations to appreciate. Great job! ??
That’s so good that they’re being revived for more people to view and appreciate them. Lots of history behind them too x
These are amazing and tell more of a story, the skill it must take to do these
Wow! Just wow! I always looking forward to your article as I loved the arts so much. Thanks for sharing this with us!
I absolutely loved reading about the revival of the stunning mosaic murals at UC Berkeley. The history and artistry behind these murals are truly captivating. Kudos to the team for preserving and bringing back this beautiful piece of campus heritage!
Such beautiful murals! Love all the details and colors!
fantastic work! It’s monumental and incredibly beautiful! I am so glad they made the work. This is the art we need to see all the time.
How wonderful. I am always happy to see a revival story. It’s important to preserve art with a history.
Absolutely mesmerizing mosaic murals! ?✨ The revival of UC Berkeley’s building is truly a work of art. The intricate details and vibrant colors are a feast for the eyes. It’s wonderful to see the beauty of mosaic art preserved and celebrated. Thanks for sharing this inspiring piece of history!
Reviving those mosaics is a really good idea! They are awesome!
Your article on the revival of the mosaic murals at UC Berkeley’s building is truly captivating! The way you describe the beauty and historical significance of these artworks is commendable. The inclusion of detailed information adds depth to the narrative, making it a delightful read. Well done!
Your article about the revival of the stunning mosaic murals at UC Berkeley is truly fascinating! The way you describe the history and beauty of these artworks is captivating and makes me appreciate their significance even more. The attention to detail and engaging storytelling make it a delightful read. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece!
It’s so good that they are reviving the mosaics, I always find them so mesmerising.
It’s so great that these historic mosaics are being preserved and restored for future generations.
What beautiful murals. They were very well done. Glad to hear they are keeping them up and restoring them. I can imagine how wear and tear of the elements can take a toll. Beautiful to look at.
Wow it is so cool that this building is decorated in mosaics that feel like they reflect community!
Your article on the revival of the stunning mosaic murals at UC Berkeley is captivating! The detailed history and efforts to preserve these artworks showcase their significance to the campus and community. A well-researched and engaging read that highlights the importance of preserving cultural heritage. Great job!
How amazing to see all the building mosaic murals! Thanks for sharing these incredible buildings.
This Byzantine style mosaic mural is really stunning, it’s great to hear it is being restored.
I have never been near the Berkeley building. I think it’s great that they are revamping those murals, so people can admire them for many more years to come
I just like all these mosaics you feature here. They are so vibrant and very impressive honestly.
I love it when I visit a new city or country and they have murals on the walls. I think they are just so pretty
That sounds amazing and love that they are restoring it to its former glory and taking care of it. The mosaics look absolutely gorgeous!
the mosaic looks absolutely spectacular. I love it when it is on the buildings, it give the city and the image itself a whole new twist
These are amazing and so detailed. I haven’t been on campus in awhile so will have to check them out.
Wow the design of these mosaic murals are impressive. I like the colours of them too, just stunning.
Agreed, It’s really important that we revive old or broken artwork because its part of the building’s history. I am glad that UC Berkeley is doing that. Plus, seeing beautiful pieces of art for me always garners feelings of awe, wonderment, and appreciation. I would love to see these mosaic murals for myself.
These are such beautiful murals and love mosaic works of art like these! They are stunning and I would love to do this artwork myself!
Such exciting news! It’s heartwarming to see the Old Art Gallery getting the attention it deserves after all these years. The restoration of those stunning 18-by-10-foot colorful mosaics is a true labor of love, preserving the rich history and beauty of this 1904 structure. Kudos to all involved in this revamping project! Looking forward to future generations at UC Berkeley experiencing the intricate glory of these mosaics.
Wow! The end results are great, looks like it took quite sometime to complete. I hope people are able to see this and admire it for a long time.
The Old Art Gallery is such a stunning building, I love that they are preserving the historic mosaics.
Wow! These are beautiful mosaic and I am glad to know that there are ongoing restoration efforts to preserve this masterpiece. I agree with you that it’s about time that we take care and preserve those old witnesses.
Wow what a beautiful mosaic mural and I am so glad they are reviving and maintaining such a lovely piece of art
I love it when we are reviving and keeping legacy, Even better when awesome art is involved! you have taught me to love mosaics.
Mosaics have a unique way of telling stories, and these murals must hold so much significance for the university community.