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How did modern mosaic artists experiment with found objects and larger materials?

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Bird mosaic — mosaic Mosaic floor fragment from a synagogue or church, cut stone with mortar from Israel, late 5th–6th century ce; in the Jewish Museum, New York City.

Modern mosaic artists have increasingly moved away from the strict use of traditional, uniform tesserae to experiment with a broader, more diverse range of materials. Following World War II, artistic exploration in the medium shifted toward the employment of larger, less regularly cut units, effectively blurring the lines between traditional mosaic and other mosaic-like techniques.1

This evolution includes the incorporation of objets trouvés (found objects) alongside standard cubes, as well as the use of mixed media such as glass, ceramics, and stone in varying sizes. By integrating these larger or unconventional materials, artists have expanded the textural possibilities of the medium, moving beyond the smooth, grid-like surfaces of the past to create works that emphasize varied surface qualities and abstract compositions. This shift reflects a broader contemporary approach where mosaic is viewed as one of many techniques centered on the creative piecing together of diverse, durable, or nondurable materials to cover a surface.1