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 Liisa Ikävalko Eeva Jokinen Tiia Matikainen Johanna Ojanen Soile Paasonen  
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Rice grain porcelain Rice grain porcelain is an old ceramic method. The wall of an object is first pierced through with a sharp tool. After the biscuit firing the hole is filled with glaze which melts into the hole in the later firing creating a small translucent window. Most who are familiar with the technique think first it is developed in China. Chinese potters started to manufacture rice grain porcelain during Tang-dynasty, at late 18th century. The roots of rice grain porcelain reach deeper to the past. Earliest pierced and holes-filled-with-glaze-objects have been found from 900th century Persian empire. These early pieces were not porcelain, but local stoneware covered with white slip. It is possible that when porcelain was invented in China, these Persian potters tried to make things as white and translucent. Porcelain recipe was well protected by Chinese and maybe piercing holes to the surface was one way of imitating translucency of the real porcelain. The silk road transported goods both ways and one can assume these Persian pierced objects travelled to Chinese potters who then defined the technique to perfection. It wasn't until these Chinese objects reached the western markets the name rice grain was applied to technique, because of the most common shape of the hole: grain of rice. Arabia Factory in Finland produced rice grain porcelain tableware between 1945-1975 and for a short period in the 80's. My grandmother had a rice grain patterned coffee set by Arabia and as a child I admired it above all else. |
 Rice grain porcelain platters, 2007. In production  When mummy was small... Unique bowl, 2007.  Tea cup, in production  Cups, 2004 |