Japan
Mineri Matsuura was born in Tokyo in 1973 and graduated in the metal craft department of Musashino Art University in 1998. Since graduation she set up her own studio and has had numerous exhibitions in her home country and abroad. In 2019 she was selected for Gioielli in Fermento, an international contemporary jewellery contest and she was awarded "AGC Special Mention", "Klimt02 Special Mention". Also in the same year she was awarded TECHNIQUE prize in the ALLIAGES Lagacy Award 2019 in France. She is surprised and humbled by the reception of her work in Europe. So it gives her more incentive to create new and more challenging pieces in her medium.
As a Japanese her inspiration comes from her countries architecture, art, nature and the influence of Zen Buddhism on its culture. The process that evolves with this medium that she works in is actually quite simple as in the end result the cut plate pieces emerges as if mysteriously into a three-dimensional form. It seems so natural like a metamorphosis of nature similar to a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. Everytime it gives her a fresh perspective and she is amazed to see the new various forms that are created and so she feels it is like a Zen-like feeling of reawakening (Nirvana) into a new existence that flows from such a simple process to the finished piece.