Mami Kanno Collection

After graduating from an art university in Tokyo, she moved to Paris, France when her husband came to France to study, and since she had come to Paris, the capital of art, she studied fine arts at a French graduate school and obtained a degree. After more than 20 years of pottery making in Paris, her works are used by the Park Hyatt Vendôme hotel, which has a five-star rating of "Palais" (palace) in Paris.

The black works, inspired by a Parisian night, seem to be filled with the whispers of people enjoying a late dinner here and there in the city. The works with a hint of pink is unique to Burgundy soil. Burgundy is a land that grows good grapes that become the finest wine, but it is also an excellent soil for ceramics. The work evokes the view of the French suburbs when one squints into the soft sunlight.

She says that inspiration for her work comes to her suddenly. She says she "sees" the work she wants to create the moment she wakes up in the morning. The works of such free inspiration can be delicate and translucent, or profound and bold, and one cannot help but feel the richness of her talent.

Kanno's talent is not limited to ceramics. She is also a long-distance runner, an essayist who introduces French culture in Japanese magazines, and a civilian ambassador who introduces Japanese culture and herself at French universities and the Japanese Embassy. She is also a highly respected chef, and her cooking classes at the Japan Cultural Institute are very popular for the courses she teaches using her own pottery.