Stepping into the latest exhibition at Lisbon’s Museu do Oriente (Orient Museum) is like being transported to the heart of rural Tamil Nadu. Gods of the Earth – Velar Sculpture is more than an art show—it’s a deeply immersive journey through a unique tradition where craftsmanship, spirituality, and identity converge in clay. On view through 4 January 2026, the exhibition invites visitors to explore the powerful cultural legacy of a lesser-known artistic community in southern India.
Curated by Portuguese sculptor João Rolaça, the exhibition offers a rare look into the world of the Velar artisans—ceramic masters from southern India who, for centuries, have molded monumental terracotta sculptures dedicated to the god Ayyanar. Known for his protective power, Ayyanar is traditionally portrayed astride a horse, standing vigil over the village as guardian of the night. These sculptures, commissioned by local communities, are placed in open-air shrines where they slowly weather and return to the earth—completing a powerful cycle of creation and dissolution.
At Museu do Oriente, this legacy comes alive through a striking collection of works born from an artistic residency that brought together Rolaça and three Velar masters—Palanissamy, Meyar, and Kartik—from the villages of Thuvaradimanai and Malayiur. Together, they created pieces that blend traditional techniques with contemporary interpretations, including a towering three-meter-high horse that commands attention in the gallery space.
The exhibition doesn’t stop at the final artworks. It also offers a behind-the-scenes view into the creative process. Photographs and video installations document the residency in Montemor-o-Novo and life in the Velar villages, showing the intense labor and intimate cultural knowledge required to produce each piece. Accompanying these are works by sculptor Liliana Velho and select terracottas from the Fundação Oriente collection, expanding the narrative of artistic exchange and shared symbolism.
For more information, visit the Museu do Oriente website.
Gods of the Earth.Velar Sculptures
Museu do Oriente
Galeria Sul – Ground Floor
Avenida Brasília, Doca de Alcântara (Norte)
Lisbon
Phone: +351 213 585 200
Email: info@foriente.pt
Hours:
Tuesday to Thursday, and Sunday – 10:00 to 18:00
Fridays – 10:00 to 20:00
Mondays – Closed
Entrance: €10 (for entrance to museum and all exhibitions)
Photo © Tiago Fróis, Oficinas do Convento, courtesy of the Museu do Oriente