Congratulations to Devi Seetharam who has been selected to reimagine the Cochin ceiling at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Devi will work alongside architect Ananth Ramaswamy to respond to a finely carved 19th-century wooden ceiling from a temple structure in Cochin (Kochi), South India.

The ceiling will be part of the transformation of the V&A’s South Asia Gallery, opening in 2028.

The coffered ceiling measures 6 metres by 1.7 metres and originally consisted of 45 carved wooden panels of Hindu deities measuring approximately 35.5 cm × 35.5 cm. Over half of these panels are now missing.

The commission offers a unique and exciting opportunity for an artist/designer to create new panels to replace those that are missing and to integrate them into the restored ceiling.

The contemporary panels are inspired by the lotus flower, a recurring element in Kerala temple architecture, wood carving and mural painting, often used on ceilings, pillars and sanctum walls. Across South Asia, the lotus conveys spirituality, cosmic creation, and prosperity, embodying a shared cultural heritage.