How Local Brand RAAQUU Creates Unique Ceramics Through Ancient Japanese Techniques

By Dale B  •  16 Nov 2023 in Design

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While most of us may have tried out pottery for ourselves on a blissful Saturday afternoon before, true masters of the craft hone their skills through rigorous practice. For those looking for masterpieces to display in their homes, look no further than the local brand, RAAQUU. 

Created by ceramic artist Adil Abdul Ghani, RAAQUU was aptly named after the Japanese firing technique known as Raku, which creates a distinctive and unique finish to each of RAAQUU’s ceramic art pieces.

Adil spent a good 15 years studying the art, and together with his business partner, created RAAQUU in 2020 to make Raku ceramics more accessible to international fans, collectors and the market at large.

Adil’s brand of Raku with its five different types of finishes, namely full-copper matte, half-copper matte, smoked, carbon half-copper matte and obvara are special, according to him, “because of the unpredictability of its firing technique.”

Just like their tagline, ‘Painted By Fire’, Raku firing is done in an extremely hot kiln and then removed while the ceramic piece is still red-hot or molten.

The ceramic piece is then placed in a reduction chamber filled with sawdust or paper. The extreme heat from the ceramic piece ignites the combustible material in the reduction chamber, which is then sealed for a while.

Each ceramic piece is different and cannot be reproduced, making each piece a unique work of art and and coveted collector’s item.

RAAQUU’s products range from miniature vases that you could slip into your pocket, to experimental sculptural pottery pieces. 

Raw materials, mainly clays, are ethically sourced from Mukim Sayong in Perak, the birthplace of another design marvel, our very own labu sayong or ‘water calabash’, a Malay traditional earthenware water container. 

“I feel that the merge between the historical elements of Malaysia and Japan where local crafts are concerned has in itself taken RAAQUU to another level of distinction and gravitas,” says Adil.

Adil is currently busy preparing for RAAQUU’s first solo exhibition which is scheduled for mid-January 2024. “We hope to show at least 20 large-scale sculptural pieces that have never been seen, and we will also be introducing our accessory items too.” 

He concludes, “In 2024, I am looking at collaborating with designers from any discipline to create other exciting and unique products for RAAQUU, and are keen to explore new partnerships, especially in the retail industry. 

“So far, RAAQUU’s partnerships with The Datai in Langkawi, FERN Batik Collective and Gudang have created various positive impact on the brand.”

RAAQUU currently ships to 32 countries worldwide and can be purchased via the official website.