The rustic, ethnic appeal of clay has outlived the craze for glass and chrome that have come to signify modern architecture, and survived the competition from glitzy, mass-produced products. Today, handmade terracotta items occupy pride of place as part of indoor and garden decor in houses.
It is common to find a huge earthen vase or an exquisitely moulded clay bowl jostling for space with designer furniture in a living room.
Rows of hanging lamps or masks on the balcony add an ethnic touch to the building and terracotta pots, birdbaths, statuettes and figures of animals and birds are strategically placed to enhance the beauty of the garden or the lawn.
Terracotta manufacturers today offer clay models of bells, candle stands, wall hangings, lampshades, ornament boxes and containers in different shapes and sizes.
Infinite possibilities
Babloo Tripathy, who works with a terracotta landscaping kiosk in Ekamra Haat, says, “Terracotta offers infinite possibilities in home and garden decoration. The availability of earthenware items in traditional and contemporary designs has opened up new avenues for interior designers and landscape artists.” He specialises in the design of ‘dry gardens’ using terracotta. The concept essentially involves a combination of terracotta items, rocks and granite chips to give life to shady areas in a house or garden where the absence of direct sunlight restricts the growth of plants.
“Terracotta articles such as pots, mushroom figures and horses impart a unique, timeless appeal. They blend well with the greenery and also age gracefully,” he says. Terracotta versions of traditional vessels like the ‘urli’ and earthen lanterns suspended from the ceiling by a metal chain are the latest rage.
Most of the travelling fairs that put up shops in the city, showcase intricately-moulded lanterns. A candle or wick lamp is placed inside the covered base of the lamp. Once lighted, it gives out a kaleidoscopic effect from the play of light on the designs. Ornamental pots with tiny figurines and designs are used to enhance the appearance of gardens.
New-found demand
The new-found demand for terracotta has spawned a number of small scale units in the city. Most of these units depend on the once-impoverished potters who were forced to give up their dying traditional trade. Unlike pottery, terracotta demands more creativity. According to Sheetal Matania, who runs a unit named Terracraft, the increasing use of earthen items for home and garden decor has opened up a new market. “Decorated pots and equestrian figures are a rage these days,” she says. While some interior designers opt to shop for readymade terracotta products, others get them designed and made at the manufacturing units.
Cost factor
A big terracotta piece may cost upwards of `3,000. But the articles contributing to volume sales are small decorative items for the home or garden. Those who can afford it use large terracotta pieces to adorn landscaped gardens. There are enthusiastic collectors of terracotta curios who regularly visit exhibitions and fairs to add to their collection.