Before knowing about the Lippan Art one needs to know more about Rann of Kutch culture. This land is famous for white salty desert sand and studded with legacy of artistry passed on through ages . This deserted land is very rich in arts & crafts. The colourful Kutch Embroidery on clothes is world famous.
Lippan Kaam which is done with mud and mirror is a traditional wall mural craft of Kutch.
There are no records to trace the origin of this art. This art is mainly done by women of Rabari and Meghwal communities but men do this artwork in Mutwa community. Various communities in Kutch do mud-washing in their own distinct style. This art form is also seen in few parts of Punjab and also Pakistan.
Though this art is done in different colourful patterns, i like it in monochrome and will showcase the ones which i love the most.
How is Lippan Kaam done as Wall Art?
Lippan Kaam is a process of mud-washing the walls using materials which are locally available in the Kutch region like mixture of clay and camel dung to keep the interiors of the houses cool as Kutch region is one of the most hot place in India. Though the work is limited mainly to the interior walls, it can be found on the outer walls as well.
The mirrors are believed to ward off the evil, so mirrors are found as an integral part of their embroideries and their walls.
First let me showcase few rural Lippan art works done by the various tribal communities in their houses.
Now let us see how the Interior Designers these days are using this art in their works and how the art has evolved. In olden days camel dung and clay were used but now artisans started using clay, chalk powder, sawdust, and glue.
The below gorgeous Banyan Tree is done by Riddhi and Ritu. They are specialised in Lippan Art and Clay Calligraphy. To see more of their works and business enquiries please check their instagram page – ri.rays.artistry
How to use Lippan Art in Home Decor?
If you are an artist, you can try this art at home as many tutorials, kits, online classes are available these days. But if you cannot do that and still want them to include in your home decor, many Lippan Art pieces are available online to purchase.
Image credits: The copyright for images used in this article belong to their respective owners. Best known credits are given under the image. For changing the image credit or to get the image removed from The Whimsical Interiors, please email me at sravanthireddy19@gmail.com
