Description
The ancient and rare craft of Rogan art comes from Persia. Rogan in Persian means “oil-
based”. Rogan is the technique of painting on fabric, crafted from thick brightly coloured
paint made with castor seed oil. Castor is a local crop grown in Kachchh, and artists most
likely sourced it from farmers originally. Artisans place a small amount of this paint paste
into their palm. At room temperature, the paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images
using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his
designs into a blank fabric, thereby printing its mirror image. In effect it is a very basic form
of printing. While designed used to be more rustic, over time the craft has become more
stylized and now is almost a high art. The motifs used in Rogan art, such as geometric
flowers, peacocks, and the tree of life, evoke a once-sublime culture and its understanding
of beauty.
