“I make mosaics as a skin of architecture. A skin woven in marbles and “smalti” on the surface of the architectural space”.

Biography

Toyoharu Kii was born in Ehime, Japan in 1953. Graduated from the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music in 1977 and finished the graduate school of the same University in 1980. At that university he began to make mosaic.

Studied at Firenze on the scholarship of Italian government. In 1982 Kii returned to Japan and opened Mosaic Atelier ING.

Toyoharu Kii realized over 50 mural mosaics.

Second premium awarded at Prix Picassiette 2000, first premium at Prix Picassitte 2002 and first prize of Picassiette 2008. Chairman of Mosaic Art Association in Japan.

A member of AIMC.

2004 Prize of encouragement at the Kajima Sculpture Contest.

2007 Finalist of Orsoni prize.

Pert-time lecturer at Joshibi University of Art and Design and Musashino Art University.

Artist statement

I make mosaics as a skin of architecture. A skin woven in marbles and “smalti” on the surface of the architectural space. So the texture has primary importance in my mosaic. The shadow and the density of tesserae carries my messages. But I aim a surface carries nothing but comforting texture. I think the main attractive of mosaic exists in the texture and any message carried in it would spoil the architectural space.