Item Description This is a sake cup (sakazuki / 酒盃) by Kato Mami (加藤真美), one of Japan's most internationally celebrated contemporary ceramic artists, based in Tokoname, Aichi Prefecture. The cup is glazed in Kato Mami's signature frost glaze — a remarkably distinctive pale blue-grey with a softly crystalline, frosted surface texture that seems to absorb and diffuse light, evoking morning mist or a winter sky. The form is equally compelling: the body is asymmetrical and deliberately irregular, with textured relief elements applied to the exterior wall — raw, erupting clay bursts and ridged horizontal banding that contrast dramatically with the cool serenity of the glaze above. The wide-flared rim, slightly uneven in its contour, gives the cup a sculptural, almost landscape-like presence — far removed from conventional vessel forms, yet entirely functional as a drinking cup. This is a work that sits at the intersection of ceramics, sculpture, and conceptual art — and has attracted collectors and institutions worldwide. The piece comes complete with its original tomobako wooden storage box bearing the artist's hand-written title inscription Sakazuki (酒盃) and red seal, an orange protective cloth, and the artist's printed tōrekisho (陶歴 / ceramic biography) document. New and unused. Size Mouth diameter: 7.6 cm Height: 6.0 cm Weight 135 g Condition New and unused, in perfect condition throughout. Comes complete with tomobako, tōrekisho, and protective cloth. Artist Profile 加藤真美 Kato Mami (b. 1963, Aichi Prefecture) is a leading figure in contemporary Japanese ceramics, renowned internationally for her sculptural frost-glazed works that challenge the conventional boundaries between vessel and art object. She trained at the Tokoname Municipal Ceramics Research Institute from 1984 to 1986, and began exhibiting at the prestigious Mino Ceramics Exhibition (Minoten), where she won the Avant-Garde Division Newcomer Prize at the 16th exhibition in 1987. Her career has since spanned three decades of sustained international recognition, including solo exhibitions and residencies in France, Spain, Croatia, Belgium, India, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States, and a solo exhibition at Daiichi Arts, New York in 2019. Her works are held in the permanent collections of major international institutions, including The Clay Studio (USA), Kerameikon Contemporary Ceramics Museum (Croatia), Ceramini Contemporary Ceramics Museum (Turkey), Museo de Alfareria de Agost (Spain), Museo de Ceramica de Manises (Spain), Shanghai Art and Craft Museum (China), Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum (Japan), and the International Ceramics Cultural Exchange Research Centre, Korea University (South Korea), among others. She has received numerous major awards, including the Chū-Nichi Ceramics Prize at the 42nd Mino Ceramics Exhibition (2015), the Grand Prize at the 44th Mino Ceramics Exhibition (2019), and the Silver Medal at Kerameikon Ceramica Multiplex, Croatia (2016). She currently serves as an instructor at the Tokoname Ceramics Research Institute and continues to exhibit widely in Japan and internationally. NOTICE: The photos may show flowers, plants, pedestals, etc. as examples of decorations and interior design for illustrative purposes, but please note that these are not included in the product. The lot will be carefully packaged and sent by DHL, FedEx or Japan Post depending on the situation. Please note that we may use recycled cardboard boxes for outer packaging. It takes about 2–3 weeks to receive normally. Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Sometimes Customs or the delivery company in your country may contact you for Customs clearance via phone or email. Please make sure that you can answer the phone. If you don't, the parcel will be returned to us and it costs more than double the shipping fee for reshipping. We do appreciate your kind cooperation.