Ceramic artist Vinod Daroz returns to Hyderabad with a new exhibition, Aikyam

Aikyam, or oneness, is ceramist Vinod Daroz’s labour of love for nearly four years. The exhibition on display at Hyderabad’s Kalakriti Art Gallery showcases a wide range of his ceramic sculptures; a few standalone three-dimensional sculptures aside, several smaller works come together to form wall-mounted installations of varied kinds, each narrating a story. His work is a blend of Indian and oriental aesthetics. He uses motifs of South Indian temples as metaphors to discuss gender issues. 

Mortar and pestle, Shiva lingam, abhisheka kalasam, designs on temple murals, gopurams and the inner sanctum find representation in his work: “In the last 15 years, I have frequently visited temples in Kanchipuram, Srisailam and other cities; I take back new observations each time.” 

On occasions, he is lucky to take photographs as reference points. Many a time, photography is prohibited and he relies on his “photographic memory”. Pointing to a series of lattice-like patterns, he traces it back to a temple in Srisailam where he spotted a similar pattern. “I could not take photographs, but what I observed there stayed with me.”

The idea of the masculine and the feminine co-existing is the theme of Aikyam. The recurring mortar and pestle motifs underline this co-existence of genders; the artist also uses motifs such as egg, pupa, butterfly, buds and blooms to represent procreation and metamorphosis. There is also the underlying thematic convergence of Shiva and Shakti to denote oneness. 

The forms are mounted on backgrounds as varied as small cushion-shaped sculptures to butterfly patterns, indicating both fragility and strength. One of the installations has 75 artworks mounted on individual butterfly-shaped backgrounds. “I wanted to display 100 in all, but given the space, chose 75,” says Daroz.

An installation of 75 ceramic artworks by Vinod Daroz

The visual language is never monotonous. The forms are varied and so are the colours. Daroz’s work is distinct for its use of striking colours, often accentuated with golden-hued smaller elements that work as embellishments.

Born and raised in a goldsmith family in Kalwakurthy near Hyderabad, Daroz lives and works in Vadodara. The work that has emerged from his studio in Vadodara has helped him forge collaborations with ceramic artists and galleries in China, Macau and Thailand, among other nations.

Trial by fire

“Neither me nor my wife use gold for its ornamental value, but I use 24 karat gold in some of my artworks. It is expensive and a risk when I use it for firing and it doesn’t turn out the way I want it to,” he says. He works with a gas and electric kiln and makes his own colour glazes. “There are readymade glazes available nowadays but I make my own colours so that I can work with a wider colour palette.”

Some of the artworks by Vinod Daroz

Areas surrounding Rajkot, Vadodara and other towns in Gujarat, he explains, are hotspots for mining and hardware industries, which makes it easier to get chemicals to prepare glazes. The colours he has used for Aikyam include turquoise, mint greens, multiple shades of blue, lemon yellows, pastel pinks and browns. Some of the artworks use a blend of colours: “A lot depends on the firing process. A reduction firing yields a different colour from an oxidation firing.” Curatorial advisor Lina Vincent aptly describes such ceramic art as a coming together of the earth (clay), fire, water and air.

The oriental play of blue and white has also found its way into his work, thanks to his frequent visits to China before the pandemic. He recalls his visit to Jingdezhen, the porcelain city of China where several European artists established their studios: “It is a huge resource for any ceramic artist. You get help from model and mould makers, slip casters… you name it.” Having already exhibited in China and Macau, he hopes to revisit the countries post-pandemic.

Another installation uses ornate photographic frames mounted with artworks, as though intended to be a memory for the ages. Art, explains the artist, is a personal expression but thankfully there are art collectors who recognise ceramics beyond its utilitarian value: “Some of the artworks are time-consuming. Despite working on Aikyam for more than three years, I was not satisfied. Until the day I packed to leave for Hyderabad, I was working in the studio.”

(Aikyam is on view at Kalakriti art gallery, Hyderabad, till March 27)