7 April 2026 · 4 min read
A 700-Year-Old Signature
A vast chain of art stretching from the Seljuk period to today and being a small link in this chain... While drawing a motif in my workshop, whose traces am I actually following?
The art of tile has been beating in the heart of Anatolia for centuries. From the geometric patterns adorning the walls of Seljuk madrasas in the 13th century to the Iznik tiles of the Ottoman era, this journey is a form of expression of a civilisation.
In my workshop, whenever I begin each traditional design, I feel that I am a link in this long chain. The fine line at the tip of my brush is like the continuation of a line drawn by a master by lamplight centuries ago. Considering the challenges of that era, the impossibilities of transportation and raw materials, the resulting works must be seen as a "miracle." One cannot help but be mesmerised by the deep labour given to the craft, the nobility in the colours and the patience inscribed in the colossal structures.
Much has changed today; kilns have become digital, pigments have been standardised, the composition of the clay has been formulated. Yet there is one thing that remains unchanged: the ancient relationship established by the hands with the earth and the soul with the pattern.
Every signature I make today is, in fact, a small note of gratitude added to that 700-year-old grand story.
So, which traces of the past are you carrying into today in your work or life?