b. 1951
Based in Chicago, IL, contemporary artist Michael Thompson creates unique kites, collages and mixed media works assembled from material fragments of past & present.
His body of work spans across a range of art forms, from experimental postal art to paper collage to sculptures assembled from scrap metal and ceramic shards.
Regardless of the medium, each of Thompson’s works is layered with fragments of past lives and bygone memories, measured in the form of antique fabric remnants, printed ephemera and other found elements collected during his travels.
b. 1953, Ehime, Japan
A leader of the cross-cultural craft resurgence, Japan-based artist Toyoharu Kii creates mosaics with hand-cut Italian marble and Venetian smalti. Inspired by sumi-e ink painting, Kii’s abstract mosaics are a meditation on pattern and form, relying on the careful placement of tesserae to convey sophisticated concepts. His refined compositions vary in scale from multi-story mural installations to works that fit in the palm of your hand.
Toyoharu Kii is revered as Japan’s leading mosaic artist and teacher. His work has been featured in exhibitions worldwide, including solo exhibitions in the United States, Italy, France and Turkey.
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