On 9 December the Photographic Gallery at the American University in Cairo is holding an exhibition entitled Alif Ebru: the Art of Painting on Water by Ebru master Hikmet Barutcugil. Ebru, the art of marbling paper, is one of the oldest Turkish arts. It involves creating colourful patterns on a surface of water, which are then transferred onto paper. A workshop will be held at the gallery during the opening reception from 1-2pm, with a demonstration of painting on water by the artist. Barutcugil was born in 1952 in Malatya, Turkey. In 1973, he began studying textiles at the State Academy of Fine Arts. He became the student of calligraphy professor Emin Barin, and at the same time started the study of marbling — for which he quickly developed a passion. He conducted his postgraduate studies in abstract art between 1978 and 1981 in London, after which he opened up new frontiers by combining his vision with traditional practixes. Barutcugil's aim is to develop the art of Ebru as a scientific discipline; he believes it must be kept alive. His research and trials on marbling resulted in a unique line of Ebru, now known by his name as Barut Ebru. He is currently one of a handful of Ebru masters and has taught and exhibited worldwide. He has lectured in several universities abroad and is currently a lecturer at the Department of Traditional Turkish Arts at Mimar Sinan Sanat University in Istanbul, among other institutions. His work can be seen in many museums, including the British Museum in London. Barutcugil won numerous international awards and he is the only Turkish artist who won the “Best of the Best” award at the Art in Action Festival organised by the London School of Economic Science. (see Listings p.24)
