"Flower Near the Staircase" 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 "Flower Near the Staircase," Kii contrasts the delicate chaos of nature against the ordered infrastructure of the built world. On the right, paths of dense tiles recall roads, brick walls, and staircases, while on the left, lively patterns swirl, bend, and collide like a hillside covered in flowers. Separate yet balanced, the two realms complement each other beautifully.