RLV student crafts human organ-shaped clay sculptures, turns them into musical instruments

Ernakulam: Sculptures made of clay transformed into musical instruments, filling the RLV College of Music and Fine Arts campus in Tripunithura with a rhythm that echoed through its halls. The creator of these one-of-a-kind instruments is Rajesh Chandanakkavu, a second-year postgraduate student at the college. He crafted eight clay sculptures resembling human ears, eyes, a mouth, bones, etc, each designed to produce a distinct sound when struck.

Rajesh says it took multiple trials to arrive at a form and structure that could produce varied sound tones. Some sculptures were created by tightly sealing the clay while others incorporated iron to alter the pitch and resonance. The shape and design of each piece played a vital role in defining the sound it produced.

Rajesh drew inspiration from the traditional Indian percussion instrument Ghatam while creating his sculptures. The result was an experimental symphony that blended art and music.

The concert featured performances by mridangam teacher Vivek, along with students Vishnu, Ananthu and Adithyan. Teachers Dharmatheethan and Sajan accompanied them on the veena and keyboard.