Clay is having a moment again—no longer confined to studios, it now shapes the visual language of contemporary living. From functional objects to sculptural accents and collectible editions, pottery-derived forms are reclaiming centre stage. Clay has become a renewed status symbol, shaped by its material honesty, its tactile richness and the luxury of space required to display it.
“Art has always had a story to it—a personal journey of making as the artist spends endless hours evolving with the work, or a narrative the piece itself communicates,” says Mumbai-based ceramic artist Rashi Jain, founder of Studio Karva. Today, those stories are finding their way into homes through functional objects and mass appeal, as the boundaries between art, design and utility soften. A pooja thali becomes a design statement; a vase doubles as sculpture; a platter becomes a collectible.
Chef and designer Eeshaan Kashyap recounts being asked to create something as specific as a remote-control holder—an example of how everyday objects are gaining an artistic, handcrafted sensibility. It signals a new kind of consumer: one fluent in the language of lifestyle retail, yet drawn to the aura of the handmade.
Designer editions and limited batches have made ceramics deeply aspirational, with prices spanning from a few hundred rupees to over 50 lakh. The shift started during the pandemic, making the tactile feel precious once more. Social media further magnified it, spotlighting the pieces that look singular, imperfect, and richly material.
Large-format retail experiences and art fairs have also shaped this moment. Spaces like Nilaya Anthology and the India Art Fair now curate dedicated design showcases, giving clay a place alongside contemporary art. At the recent Art Mumbai 2025, Vikram Singh of Art Explore observed a noticeable shift: “The collector base is now getting younger. People in their mid-30s are now coming up to us with curious questions. I’m unsure if they truly understand the difference between functional and contemporary art, but this younger audience asks a lot of questions about the pieces’ artistic value: about the artist, their thought behind the piece, where the piece has been before, and so on.”
What is emerging is a clay renaissance—where objects perform as décor, as identity, as conversation. A material once considered humble is now shaping interiors with quiet confidence. It’s less about trend and more about the pleasure of materiality: weight, texture, imperfection, and the poetry of objects shaped by hand.