Cities of You

System #15: Tessoti (Ted S)

16 x 20", Gouache, Pen, and Marker on Paper

Tessoti refers to the subculture of artists and artisans who add color to mountains and other rock formations. Typically carried out by hundreds of individuals at a time, colored pigments are pressed, chiseled, and hammered into solid rock. There is no statement that comes with this practice and there are no evident profits or losses to the participants, who quickly disband after a work is completed. Entire landscapes have been transformed from desolate canyons and valleys to impressionistic artworks of massive scale. And to the occasional passerby, the passage of time is accentuated by the carefully constructed color composition that distorts how sunlight and shadow imply movement.