I’m always on the hunt for fresh mosaic ideas, big or small. Big mosaic projects can be challenging, but very rewarding in the end. Created by artist Gerhard Marx in cooperation with Spier Architectural Arts, this larger-than-life mosaic of an aerial photograph of Johannesburg, South Africa spans 56 panels and weighs nearly three tons! Spanning five months of work by seven mosaic artists and nine apprentices to complete, it was unveiled at the 2013 FNB Joburg Art Fair in Johannesburg.

When using an urban landscape such as Johannesburg for the source image, the choice of material makes perfect sense. Everyday items such as stone, glass, brick and marble (all of which are used to build a city!) were combined to build this beautiful masterpiece.

What’s most fascinating is the intricate detail throughout the entire mosaic. Each and every shadow is perfectly defined and tiny cars are scattered throughout the streets of the city. From afar, this impressively massive mosaic looks like an actual photograph!