Turkey is a very diverse country with a variety of artistic manifestations. Being a country with the influence of different cultures this is demonstrated in many topics, also in the arts.
In Turkey there is a technique that sounds to magic: it consists of painting in water. The art of making manuscripts and books generated this art. It is said that began in Central Asia in Turkestan’s zone and reached his maximum development within the Ottoman Empire. The Marble Paper, Turkish Paper or Ebru -in his language of origin-, it is made on a acuouse base on which vegetable pigments float. This allows to create an infinite variety of designs that then are transferred to a paper.
Ebru was traditionaly used as a way of creating and keeping the originality in official manuscripts, since it is impossible to realize a copy of this type of works, not any piece is like the others at all. Later it was used as ornamental part on books.
What called my attention is how those who follow the route of knowledge of Sufism approach to Ebru. For them, the spiritual search it is related with art and pursuit of beauty. This kind of paintings is a reflection of what it is inside the heart of the one who realizes the work. The intention on doing this art is not to create beautiful works if not to approach the innerself beauty.
This art shows the impermanence in every piece, since no one is equal to the other and in every second the design is changing, it is a painting in movement!
Because of this, Ebru is an art used by some as meditative technique. The fact of literally painting in water creates a wonderful and very relaxing feeling. I have spend hours absorbed making dozens of marmoled papers, all different between each other.
This art of painting in water is very close to another art: calligraphy. Being these printed papers with the thin marmoled drawings used as base to make writings of diverse nature.
This artistic expressions are immensly related and creates a connection with the soul (some people say that it is a connection with God…).
“When you practice the Islamic art, like paper engraving, marbling, illumination, you get closer to God and he gets closer to your soul.”
-Yasemin Ӧzsavaşçi
The Ottoman calligraphy is intimately related to the religion of the Islam. The word is the way in which the knowledge is transferred and the teachings of the Koran are intimately related to this type of artistic writing.
The Turkish Ottoman calligraphy is based on the Arabic writings that the Turks adopted after entering into Islamic world. It is associated with forms of geometric writing that it is possible to find in the walls and domes of the mosques.
The Turkish Arts are a method to connect with the soul.
If you are in Istanbul and want to learn more of these traditional arts you can visit the school Les Arts Turcs, located very near to the Blue Mosque and with a nearby and familiar environment (and an insuperable sight in the terrace!)
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