THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The walls gush with an earthy charm, embellished with artworks concocted out of clay. Leonardo Da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper’ gets a fresh twist, as it gets recreated as a wall mural, using only terracotta. There is no heavy detailing or a vibrant splash of colours, but the artwork speaks volumes with its elegance. Clay murals impart a distinct appeal to the wall and have caught the fancy of art connoisseurs.
For the past 10 years, artist Sunil Babu has been crafting wall art using terracotta. The mural art using clay is a long process, which involves at least a month of tireless and precise work.Sunil works with a team of artists. Their terracotta artworks have been used to adorn the walls of church and homes for the past several years.
“We used to be in the pottery business. And when I came across the terracotta artworks, it inspired me. And that is how I thought of creating wall murals using terracotta,” says Sunil, a terracotta artist attached with the ‘Clay Arts’. Sunil says that one can fashion out any artwork using terracotta. “But we may not be able to provide heavy detailing. The colours are also limited, as we use only soil to add the colour. So there are only four colours. We never add any other colours and people like it the natural way,” says Sunil who belongs to Malappuram.
Unlike other mural art, terracotta mural art stays strong over the years and is not affected by the elements. “The artwork doesn’t fade away as time passes and provides a cooling effect. And it has a distinct appeal,” says Sunil. But, the recent trouble the artists are facing is the dearth of clay. “The availability of clay is less and that is the only constraint,” he says. “This artwork is natural. And one that stands you good for years to come,” he adds.