Exhibition Opening: Tezhip, The Art of Islamic illumination

Hatice Aydinoglugil was born in historical town of Uskudar of Istanbul City in 1952. Having grown up in a city where East and West meets, she is a product of Islamic culture within a secular environment. Throughout her life, Hatice always had a great interest in spirituality, inclusivity and art forms in Islam. Her interest was cultivated when she met the Illumination art of Islam, ‘Tezhip’, in 2015.

Tezhip is an old decorative art. Both religious and non-religious books could be illuminated. Word ‘tezhip’ means ‘turning gold’ or ‘covering with gold leaf’ in Arabic. Yet ‘tezhip’ can be done with paint as well as with gold leaf. It was mostly employed in handwritten books and on the edges of calligraphic texts.

This exhibition captures Hatice Aydinoglugil`’s Tezhip work from different periods from 9th century Uyghur motifs to the 18th century Ottoman art of illumination. It is a fascinating journey of harmony of colours and Islamic heritage.

Join us to celebrate the exhibition opening with drinks on 7 May!