Transient Flora: Raku for a Lagoon Herbarium, a ceramic project by The Freaky Raku

+ A Featured Exhibition at Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel in Venice, on the occasion of Homo Faber

The Freaky Raku is a pottery and photography project, founded in 2015 by me Zaira, (also known as The Freaky Table), and my partner Francesco.
Inspired by the Venice Lagoon, our ceramic work is a contemporary and unique reinterpretation that blends elements of the Japanese "wabi-sabi" aesthetic with an elegant, minimalist style. We incorporate natural materials and neutral colors, drawing from Scandinavian design principles.
We are a creative duo, both in work and in life. We founded our ceramic studio in the Venetian countryside, just a few kilometers from the southern lagoon of Venice, where we create exclusive collections of unique functional art pieces for the home and table. You can learn more about our work here.

Raku pottery is a Japanese ceramic technique that dates back to the 16th century, distinguished by its unique firing process and an aesthetic deeply rooted in Eastern principles. The term "raku" literally translates to "pleasure" or "joy" in Japanese, reflecting the spontaneous and creative approach of this technique, which emphasizes the imperfection and uniqueness of each piece.
At the heart of raku pottery lies the concept of "wabi-sabi," a Japanese aesthetic philosophy that celebrates beauty in imperfection, transience, and the natural world. "Wabi" refers to rustic and understated beauty, while "sabi" speaks to the appreciation of time and wear, which impart character and authenticity to objects. Raku pottery, with its fast and ritualistic firing process—each firing is a true happening—and its unpredictable nature, embodies these values perfectly, resulting in pieces that are unique and rich in timeless, imperfect beauty.
A compelling parallel can be drawn with ikebana, the Japanese art of floral arrangement, which, like raku pottery, is inherently connected to the principles of wabi-sabi. Ikebana is not merely a technique for arranging flowers but an expression of balance and simplicity, valuing asymmetry and naturalness. Both practices—raku pottery and ikebana—share a deep connection with ephemeral, imperfect, and essential beauty, reflecting a Japanese culture that finds harmony in irregularity and transience.
Our ceramic production is deeply inspired by these aesthetic principles, heavily influenced by our view of the surrounding landscape: the Venice Lagoon, particularly the Southern Lagoon, with its pristine, untouched nature. Sailing through these waters aboard our boat throughout the seasons, we are profoundly impacted by the minimalism of this landscape and its cyclical transience.

The lagoon, with its unique vegetation, shifting colors, and fluid forms, embodies a minimal beauty that, like raku ceramics, is timeless—still, yet in constant flux.
The fragility of the lagoon's ecosystem and the aesthetic of raku ceramics converge in their imperfect, transient beauty. The Venice Lagoon, with its delicate flora, reflects a precarious and ever-changing balance. Similarly, the crackle of raku ceramics, with its intricate, fractured texture, evokes the appearance of ancient archaeological relics, hinting at a story of impermanence and wear. Both, in their apparent fragility and beauty, remind us of the importance of preserving what is precious and delicate.
Our project, “Transient Flora”, is a collection of objects characterized by minimalist design and subtle, muted colors, conceived as an installation where art and nature engage in harmonious dialogue. It functions as a true lagoon herbarium, where carefully selected botanical specimens from the lagoon are displayed within the presented pieces, following the aesthetic principles of Japanese ikebana.

Each piece is crafted from lagoon clay—purified and treated to reduce its natural salinity—before being fired and reduced using the raku technique, which imparts the glaze with its signature crackled texture and a timeworn, ancient aesthetic. Each item is designed to be a work of art in its own right, forming an installation that represents a harmonious synthesis of nature, art, and culture. This project is more than just a celebration of the imperfect beauty of raku ceramics and the Venice Lagoon, it is an invitation to reflect on the fragility and importance of preserving what is rare and unique.
We are delighted to present this new project at the exhibition "Contemporary Ceramics in Venice" as part of Homo Faber in the City. The exhibition will be held at Palazzo Venart Luxury Hotel, Calle Tron 1961, on September 10th at 6:00 PM. After the opening, the exhibition will be open for viewing by appointment until September 30th. (Contact: info.veneart@ldchotels.com / +39 041 5233 784).