Traditional Islamic art finds new expression at Istanbul exhibition
The "Silent Elegance" exhibition, featuring collector Mehmet Çebi's collection of contemporary calligraphy, religious art and prayer beads, is welcoming visitors at the Tophane-i Amire Culture and Arts Center in Istanbul.
Curated by Metehan Kaptan, the exhibition brings together works by 16 artists from different generations and artistic backgrounds. It explores how traditional forms of Islamic art can be reinterpreted through modern approaches to color, scale and composition.
The calligraphy section features works in several traditional scripts, including thuluth, Kufic and naskh. Among the highlights are compositions featuring Quranic verses and a work incorporating the entire Quran into a calligraphic design.
Other pieces use acrylic and stain-paint techniques on specially prepared paper, while some adopt free-form compositions that resemble abstract paintings at first glance. The works demonstrate how calligraphy can evolve while maintaining its traditional foundations.
The exhibition's prayer bead collection highlights the craftsmanship and variety of materials used in an art form with a long history in Istanbul.
The collection includes traditional 33- and 99-bead designs made from materials such as amber, coral, rock crystal, turquoise and mother-of-pearl, as well as rarer materials including buffalo horn, ivory and snakewood.
Çebi said calligraphy and prayer beads reflect the connection between everyday life and spirituality in the region's cultural heritage.
"While calligraphy gives words proportion and beauty, prayer beads unite the hand, the mind and the heart in the same direction," Çebi said.
He said the exhibition aims to show how traditional artistic heritage continues to evolve through the work of contemporary artists.
"Tradition is enriched through the preservation of forms inherited from the past and by each generation adding its own aesthetic understanding to this legacy," he said.
Çebi also said collecting should go beyond preserving artworks and help bring them to new audiences.
"The purpose of collecting lies not only in preserving artworks, but also in reintroducing them into cultural circulation," he said.
"Silent Elegance" is free to visit daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Tophane-i Amire Culture and Arts Center through Aug. 29.
DailySabah
