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Ruben Adanaque Inga

"Hi, my name is Ruben Adanaque Inga, and I was born on April 10, 1963 in Piura. From time immemorial, this region has been the cradle of significant pre-Inca cultures, such as Vicus, Tallan, and Moche among others, which bequeathed us a deep ceramist tradition.

"I started working as a potter at 17 in the workshop of the Paz Arizmendi brothers, from whom I learned the craft, starting as a burner. Then, I learned to create birds and fruits on my own. Two years later, I started making the traditional Chulucanas ceramics. But my wish was to create faces and hands, thus I came to study with master craftsman Max Inga.

"In general, my development as a ceramist evolves from practice, as for most artisans from my land. My works are characterized by globular and symmetrical shapes. I've adopted the pre-Columbian technique of the Vicus culture from the rich cultural legacy of this region that consists of molding, palleting, and engobe.

"When I was 20,the rains caused by El Niño destroyed my home, burying me under the rubble. My family rescued me, but I suffered severe injuries that forced me to spend a long time interned and in rehabilitation in a hospital in Lima. In 1989, I return to my home where I refined my technique. And here I am, passionately trying to mold my clay and my life."

In the classic style of Chulucanas, a piece is shaped it on a potter's wheel and fired in a wood-burning kiln. The piece is decorated by hand using engobe (colored slip or liquid clay). A controlled smoking process using dried mango leaves achieves the dark tones. Finally, the piece is waxed and polished.

Hand-crafted ceramics such as this are entirely unique – not even the artisan can recreate one. Occasionally they may show color inconsistencies, porosity, or asymmetrical brushstrokes, but this only confirms their originality and authenticity.