"Devastated Land" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii

A leader of the cross-cultural craft resurgence, Japan-based artist Toyoharu Kii creates his intricate mosaics with hand-cut Italian marble and smalti, Venetian glass made by the same Italian family for over 400 years. Using traditional Italian techniques, Kii’s art is nonetheless modern. It is monochromatic, abstract, and highly textured and highlights the involved and technical art of mosaic making. In this mosaic entitled "Devastated Land," Kii uses texture to tell a story of destruction and renewal. On the right, carefully patterned forms recall built structures, while on the left, chaotic lines and misaligned tiles disrupt the ordered grid. Emerging from the rubble, lively patterns begin to swirl around the surrounding ruins, like nature reclaiming a devastated land.