"Hard Petals" 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 "Hard Petals," Kii conveys the complexity held within a single flower petal. Drawn by a collision of lively patterns, the petal formations arch away from each other and sink gently into the densely-packed field of white marble tesserae. With pleasing lines and asymmetry, the harmonious petals enliven a room with playful use of pattern and negative space.