Ahmet Sacit Açıkgözoğlu

This unique work of art, a cohesion of calligraphy and marbling art, is entirely the artist’s own creation.

The calligraphy in the artwork that reads as ‘illal mawaddata’ in Arabic is a verse from the Holy Qur’an (Surah Ash-Shura 42:23). It is translated as ‘[but] only amity]. This means that some good deeds or favours may have no return. The amity becomes the only and most precious return. The text was created using akkase ebru technique, one of many unique ebru styles. This technique is achieved by masking a pre-designed and perfectly cut pattern, miniature, or writing, which is then pasted on the paper surface and marbled in the desired colours.

Murakka is a type of traditional art created by gluing various artworks on top of each other on cardboard. In this example, the artist has combined three different ebru styles: battal (stone pattern), çiçek (floral) and kumlu (sandy), all designed to complement one another. The artist has used the battal ebru style to create the outer frame of this work, which is one of the basic patterns and is widely used in marbling, and the kumlu ebru style to create the inner frame, which is usually applied as a thin sill, drawn on the edges of the flowered marbling. The rose, a distinguished floral pattern in marbling, is the focal point of this work of art. The rose motif is well-known as a symbol of the prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).

Battal marbling is the name of the first and most important form, which is the basis of all forms of marbling art.

In this form, where the paints remain as they are poured from the brush, the artist has no further touch. The elements that determine the mastery and beauty of this technique are the balanced brush strokes and colour harmony, which will ensure that the paints fall on the surface in equal intervals and sizes.

This unique work of art, a fusion of calligraphy and marbling art, is entirely the artist’s own creation. The symmetrical calligraphy in the artwork that reads as ‘Wallāhu Mutimmu Nụrihī’ in Arabic is a verse from the Holy Qur’an (Surah As-Saf 61:8). It translates as ‘Allah will certainly perfect His light’. The technique used here produces a reverse or mirror image. This writing style is known as müsennâ (specular), and it can also be described as a bifold (müsennâ), duplicate writing (çift yazı), or as ‘reflecting itself’ (mütenâzır). However, this technique has not been applied to the entire text. The name Allah is written only once, but the rest of the verse is written in müsenna style to refer to Allah’s light in both this world and the afterlife. In addition, the calligraphic text was created using the akkase ebru technique, one of many unique ebru styles. This technique is achieved by masking a pre-designed and perfectly cut pattern, miniature, or writing, which is then pasted on the paper surface and marbled in the desired colours.