RAKU FIRED WINE COOLER MASK BY PORCUPINE CERAMICS SOUTH AFRICA LARGE 37CM HIGH - WITH DECORATED PEWTER RIM

AWESOME CERAMIC WINE COOLER MASK. IT IS RAKU FIRED ACHIEVING ITS WONDERFUL CRACKLED AFFECT AND VARIETY OF COLORS.

WITH A DECORATED ENGRAVED PEWTER METAL PROTECTIVE OVERLAY ON THE RIM. MARKED ON INSIDE AS PORCUPINE.

INSPIRED BY A MASK FROM THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO. TO THE CONGOLESE OF CENTRAL AFRICA,  MASKS FUNCTION AS IMPORTANT PERFORMANCE OBJECTS IN RITUALS AND CEREMONIES AND WORSHIP.

EACH RAKU ITEM IS MADE WITH QUALITY AND CARE - BY HAND BY HOMECROWN ARTISTS FROM PORCUPINE CERAMICS IN THE WESTERN CAPE IN SOUTH AFRICA. MADE BY HAND AND FORGED BY FIRE. EACH CREATION IS UNIQUE NO TWO ITEMS ARE THE SAME.

 
SIZE: 37CM HIGH 21CM WIDE FROM EAR TO EAR 20CM DEEP FROM NOSE TO NECK 16CM DIAMETER TOP
 
CONDITION: IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. NO CHIPS. NO CRACKS. AS NEW.
 
WHAT IS RAKU?:
 
RAKU ACHEIVE ITS CHARACTERISTIC CRACKLED EFFECT BY THE RAPID COOLING OF THE GLAZE AFTER BEING LIFTED OUT OF AN EXTREMELY HOT KILN, CAUSING THE GLAZE TO SHRINK AND TO STRETCH OPENING FINE CRACKS THAT ARE DEFINED BY CARBON INFILTRATION WHILE SMOULDERING IN A FIREPIT SMOTHERED WITH WOOD SHAVINGS.

RAKU DIFFERS FROM NORMAL FIRING, WHERE THE PIECE IS REMOVED FROM KILN AFTER ITS COOLED DOWN SLOWLY.
RAKU ITEMS ARE TAKEN FROM THE KILN WHILE THEY ARE STILL GLOWING RED HOT. TO GIVE THE GLAZE ITS WONDERFUL VARIETY OF COLORS THEY ARE THEN PLACED IN A MATERIAL THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO CATCH FIRE EASILY, SUCH AS SAWDUST OR NEWSPAPER OR WOOD SHAVINGS. THE REASON FOR THIS IS TO STARVE THE CERAMIC ITEMS OF OXYGEN. PIECES WITH NO GLAZE (A GLAZE IS A THIN LAYER OF LIQUID WHICH IS PUT ON A PIECE OF POTTERY AND BECOMES HARD AND SHINY WHEN THE POTTERY IS HEATED IN A VERY HOT OVEN.) ON THEM TAKE THE OXYGEN FROM THE CLAY ITSELF, MEANING SOME AREAS WILL HAVE A MATTE BLACK COLORING.

RAKU FIRING IS AN INCREDIBLE ANCIENT JAPANESE CERAMICS TECHNIQUE THAT HAS BEEN USED FOR CENTURIES. RAKU MEANS PLEASURE OR ENJOYMENT.
 
PORCUPINE CERAMICS (1994-PRESENT):
RAKU REFERS MORE TO THE TECHNIQUE USED TO MAKE THE POTTERY THAN A SPECIFIC COMPANY BUT THERE ARE A FEW RAKU COMPANIES IN SOUTH AFRICA WHOSE NAME HAS BECOME FAMOUS AND PORCUPINE CERAMICS IN THE WESTERN CAPE IS ONE OF THEM.

PORCUPINE CERAMICS BEGAN IN 1994 AS A SMALL HOME POTTERY AND HAS GROWN IN SIZE TO OCCUPY A LARGE STUDIO AT THE MOHAIR MILL IN THE CRAGS, WESTERN CAPE. MANUFACTURING HAND CRAFTED CERAMIC ITEMS INSPIRED BY THE ART AND ANIMALS OF AFRICA AND USING THE ANCIENT JAPANESE FIRING METHOD OF "RAKU".

THE PORCUPINE ARTISANS DRAWN FROM THE NEARBY RURAL SETTLEMENT IN THE CRAGS HAVE BEEN TRAINED AND MENTORED TO DEVELOP SKILLS THAT SUPPORT THEIR LIVILIHOODS. SOME OF THEIR NAMES HAVE BECOME FAMOUS IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.