I am a Russian mosaic artist living in the north of Portugal. I work with stone, smalt, ceramic, and glass, creating intricate and tactile compositions that bring these materials to life. My practice lies at the crossroads of ancient tradition and modern expression, where centuries-old techniques meetna fresh, contemporary perspective. I studied mosaic art in Moscow at Sad Granat, one of the world’s leading mosaic schools, where I also took part in exhibitions and projects organized by the school.
Viktoria Gaidai
My work begins with a dialogue between material and idea. Each stone, shard, and fragment finds its place through a slow, intuitive process that bridges ancient craftsmanship with contemporary vision.
The mosaic is created in a contemporary graphic style using hand-cut
natural stone. A limited palette with accents of warm yellow and cream tones emphasizes form and texture, while each tessera is intentionally placed to convey rhythm.
The rough, matte surface of the materials creates tangible depth, inviting the viewer to experience the work both visually and tactilely.
Medium: Hand-cut natural stone mosaic on MDF base
Dimensions: 30 x 30 cm
Year: 2021
Medium: Ceramic, hand-cutted smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 31.5 x 23 cm
Year: 2025
This mosaic is a contemporary interpretation of a still life by Russian artist Ilya Mashkov, known for his bold color, expressive form, and dynamic composition.
Translating his painterly style into the tactile medium of mosaic, the work emphasizes texture, rhythm, and material depth, offering a fresh perspective on early 20th-century modernism through glass and stone.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 40 x 52 cm
Year: 2024
An original interpretation of Piet Mondrian’s work, where the language of lines and rhythm is enriched by the texture and depth of natural stone and smalti.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 35 x 40 cm
Year: 2023
Decorative miniatures in roman mosaic stile (different ornaments).
Medium: Hand-cut natural stone mosaic on MDF base
Dimensions: 17 x 17 cm
Year: 2024
Decorative miniatures.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 17 cm
Year: 2022
Decorative miniature.
Medium: Natural and hand-cut natural stone mosaic on MDF base
Dimensions: 20 cm
Year: 2023
This expressive mosaic depicts a stylized sliced fig. The composition plays with contrast and color saturation, combining deep blues and purples with warm reds, ochres, and soft green tones.
The vibrant core of the fig becomes the focal point. Smalti and stone tesserae are arranged in curved, rhythmic lines that give the work a sense of movement and vitality.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 27 x 27 cm
Year: 2022
An original interpretation of the painterly language of Aristarkh Lentulov, one of the leading figures of Russian avant-garde art. This work conveys the rhythm and energy of the original through the expressive qualities of smalti and natural stone.
Blending the traditions of classical mosaic with an experimental approach, it demonstrates how contemporary materials can reinterpret and illuminate the legacy of the Russian avant- garde in a new light.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 28 x 34 cm
Year: 2024
In this mosaic fragments of Portuguese tiles and travertine shards take on a new resonance. The work explores the theme of memory and time, where traces of the past become the foundation for creating the present.
Medium: Hand-cut travertine and ceramic mosaic
Dimensions: 30 x 30 cm
Year: 2023
An original reinterpretation of Paul Cézanne’s still life painting through the texture of smalt and natural stone.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt and natural stone
Dimensions: 44 x 33 cm
Year: 2023
Decorative miniatures.
Medium: Hand-cut natural stone mosaic on MDF base
Dimensions: 17 x 17 cm (including frame)
Year: 2023
Decorative miniature.
Medium: Hand-cut natural stone mosaic and mirror glass
Dimensions: 20 cm
Year: 2025
Decorative miniature.
Medium: Hand-cut smalt mosaic in wooden frame
Dimensions: 16 cm
Year: 2025
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