Michael Maio

Porcelain maker

©Michael Maio

Ideas taking shape in porcelain

Michael specialises in the zogan technique in his porcelain works
He is inspired by Japanese arts and traditions
His works received the Coup de cœur award from the French Ministry of Culture in 2022

Michael Maio creates decorative objects and blades from porcelain, and decorates them by hand using the traditional Japanese zogan technique of inlaying coloured slip. He adopts a refined style that shifts between graphic and figurative motifs, always using a limited palette of three colours. After initially studying in a different field, he felt the need for a more hands-on profession. “I wanted to practise something rooted in working with materials,” he explains. He was instantly drawn to ceramics and was inspired by pop culture and traditional Japanese arts and crafts. "I centre my creative process on the interplay between emptiness and fullness. I enjoy using ancestral techniques such as wheel throwing and zogan to produce elegant pieces that feel entirely modern," Michael says. In 2022, he received the Coup de cœur award from the French Ministry of Culture at the European Fine Craft Fair Résonances.

Interview

©Michael Maio

©Michael Maio

What initially drew you to porcelain and ceramics?: It is a craft that offers a lot of freedom. You can create, experiment and see your ideas take shape. Porcelain, in particular, allows for a wide range of exploration, both in form and surface.
What is a highlight in your journey as a maker?: My training years were a time of discovery and learning, free from constraints, when everything still felt possible.
Is there something about your practice that people often overlook?: The zogan technique that I use is still quite unknown. Aside from this, what surprises people most is the business side of things. Being an artisan is a career that involves running a studio, managing production and finding ways to promote my works.
Do you think your craft is at risk of disappearing today?: Ceramics is actually very popular at the moment, so I do not think the craft itself is in danger. But the way we reach clients is changing, and as artisans, we have to adapt to those shifts.

Michael Maio is an expert artisan: he began his career in 2014 and he started teaching in 2017