"Azrael" Mosaic by Toyoharu Kii

In the series “Heavenly,” Toyoharu Kii honors the fullness of life and its continual rebirth. In some works, white tesserae assume abstract profiles. In others, irregular shapes contain a disorderly array of jagged tiles, suggesting the unexpected moments that life reveals. Expressing his wish for guidance, the artist surrounds each marble form with a halo of golden tiles, representing the company of a heavenly guardian in the cycle of rebirth. This mosaic in particular is named after Azrael, the archangel of death.

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. Monochromatic, abstract, and highly textured, his work highlights the involved and technical art of mosaic making.