Fresco: The Ancient Art of Fresco Comes Alive

There aren't enough stars in the Video Librarian firmament to award this one....it's my pick of the year! In 1993, the College of St. Thomas in Minneapolis commissioned a fresco depicting the seven virtues. The fresco technique dates back 30,000 years, and while the art of painting on wet lime plaster has been practiced by various cultures throughout the world, it is virtually unknown in the United States. How artist Mark Balma researched the project, taught himself the technique, and--together with a group of nine apprentices--produced the work over a period of four years is the focus of the story here, but there is much, much more. In its exploration of the history and technique of fresco, the political and artistic tensions behind the project, the philosophy of the apprentice program, and the impact of the finished work, this complex presentation weaves together many subject strands into a brilliant whole. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Reed)