BY ANURADHA KODAGODA
In a recent conversation, ceramic artist Janaka Herath shared the story behind his latest collection, “Choking the Blue.” Currently on display at the Radicle Gallery in Colombo, the pieces are part of the Samudraagam group exhibition, curated by Mandira Ranatunga.
Janaka’s connection to ceramics began before he even stepped foot on campus. “I had the opportunity to learn about ceramics even before entering campus — not in-depth, but just enough to spark an interest,” he says. That curiosity led him to the University of the Visual and Performing Arts, where he began his studies in 2006.
After graduating in 2011, he returned in 2013 as a temporary lecturer in the Ceramics Department. It was during that time that he discovered the Raku technique through a volunteer from Japan.
“Because I was so interested, I built my own kiln at home and experimented with Raku,” he explains. For Janaka, it is all about finding a balance: “I believe creativity must always be balanced with technology. I worked very hard to develop that technical side.”
High-speed process
Mastering Raku is no easy task. Unlike standard ceramics, which follow a predictable, slow path of firing and cooling, Raku is an intense, high-speed process. “In standard ceramics, there are certain rules and steps one must follow,” Janaka notes. “Normally, after making ceramic items, they need a long time to fire and cool down; otherwise, they might crack or get damaged.” Raku, however, is a matter of thermal shock. “We fire it for an hour and a half, stop the firing, and take it out immediately. Within a minute or two, we perform what is called reduction, which removes the carbon.”
