The article is dedicated to the development and artistic features of mosaic monumental-decorative works in subway stations from the 1980s to the present day. Mosaic is an important technical variety of monumental-decorative art, closely linked to the general trends in the development of Chinese artistic design for stations and increasingly applied in recent years. The relevance of the topic is determined by the insufficient study of the characteristics of mosaic art in the Chinese subway system. The aim of the research is to clarify the material, technical, and stylistic manifestations of mosaic art under the influence of historical and cultural context, artistic tradition, social characteristics, and spatial characteristics of the subway in China. The main data and visual materials were sourced from the archives of official subway organizations. The research objectives are: 1) To determine the characteristics of Chinese subway mosaics based on materials, techniques, and styles; 2) To identify the features of mosaic works in different cities; 3) To reveal the influence of traditional Chinese aesthetics and art on the formation of contemporary mosaic styles. The study employed a formal-stylistic analysis to uncover the artistic characteristics of mosaic works. Through the iconographic method, deep connections between images and their organizational approach to Chinese artistic traditions and spiritual culture were revealed. A comparative analysis of examples from different periods and cities demonstrated the interrelations and distinctions of specific works. The scientific novelty of the research lies in its being the first specific study of mosaic art in the broad context of the development of monumental-decorative design in Chinese subway stations, particularly considering the influence of traditional art on modern style and the role of material properties and tessera installation methods. The results of the research indicate a noticeable trend in Chinese subway stations towards increased use of mosaic techniques, which become an important means of thematic interpretation and organization of spatial relations in public art. The properties of materials, methods of tessera installation, and interaction with other forms of art have formed an artistic language with unique expressive power. Historical, cultural, and social characteristics of different cities have a profound influence on the forms of expression of mosaic works. By transferring traditional Chinese aesthetic and stylistic principles into modern public spaces, the revival of traditional culture is achieved.
Honghui Luo (Thu,) studied this question.