When terracotta sculptor and two-time Kerala Lalithakala Akademi awardee V K Jayan was looking for his next inspiration, his friend and well-wisher Lenin came up with an idea. To create something that could represent Kerala at the national level, while being rooted in the state’s culture and heritage.
The result was a meticulously carved terracotta sculpture inspired by the Bhagavathy Theyyam. It earned him the National Handicrafts Award for 2024, which was recently announced.
Last month, Jayan, who hails from Eroor in Kochi, received the award from President Droupadi Murmu, making him the first terracotta artist from Kerala to achieve the distinction.
The sculpture draws from the visual and spiritual vocabulary of Theyyam. Translating this unique tradition into clay was no small task. “Terracotta has its own rules,” says Jayan. “It must be hollow, balanced, and structurally sound. Otherwise, it will not survive the kiln.”
Standing around three feet tall, the sculpture took about a month to complete. Each section was built with careful attention, capturing the dynamism of Theyyam.
“For this sculpture, I drew from an earlier experience of experimenting with Theyyam. I had created an intricately carved sculpture during a camp at the Kerala Folklore Academy in Kannur a few years ago. I spent considerable time observing Theyyam rituals,” he recalls. One of the most challenging elements was the flame motif at the centre of the sculpture. They were constructed from multiple small clay segments, carved to look like the actual burning flames.
“It had to be assembled in a way that it would not collapse during firing. You cannot force terracotta,” Jayan explains. “You work within its limits.”
The award marked a turning point for him. “Only after receiving it did I understand what a National Award truly means,” he says.
The recognition sparked celebrations in his neighbourhood, with flexes and posters lining the junction near his house. “It has been quite overwhelming,” he smiles.
Born into a traditional pottery community, Jayan’s relationship with clay began early, though not always willingly. “As a child, I wanted to play, not work,” he recalls. However, after completing school, he was organically drawn to the potter’s wheel. He then went on to study ceramics, gaining a scientific understanding of clay, minerals and firing temperatures.
Training took Jayan to Thiruvananthapuram, where he honed his skills at a traditional pottery centre. Then he set off to Belagavi, where he joined the Central Village Pottery Institute for a course in ceramics. Later, as part of his research, he camped at Khurja in Uttar Pradesh, which he calls “India’s ceramics hub”.
“Working with clay is both art and science,” he says. “Soil, moisture content, temperature — everything matters.” Traditional potters, he adds, often judged clay by smell and touch, a knowledge system passed down generations.
Terracotta, he believes, has long been neglected in Kerala. “While states like Tamil Nadu are celebrated for iconic terracotta forms such as the Ayyanar horse, Kerala’s terracotta traditions remain under-recognised,” he says. “Hence, this award is important not just for me, but for the medium itself.”
Once uncomfortable with being nicknamed Terracotta Jayan, he now embraces it as an identity forged over decades. “I don’t create to meet market demand,” he says. “I create because this is the life I chose.”
Jayan currently owns and runs the Terracrafts Pottery School and manufacturing unit at Eroor, along with his son, who has taken on the baton. Next, he plans to apply for the Shilp Guru Award, the highest honour for sculptors in India.