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IZNIK, Legendary Ceramics from Turkey: An Art Reborn

School of Visual Arts (SVA); the Iznik Foundation of Istanbul, Turkey; and the Moon and Stars Project of New York present IZNIK, Legendary Ceramics from Turkey: An Art Reborn--the first exhibition of its kind in the United States. This exhibition brings to life a traditional Turkish ceramic art that has been lost for the last three centuries. With more than 50 examples of superb quartz tiles, plates and vessels, the exhibition offers a unique opportunity to see recent works alongside traditional 16th-century examples on loan from the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The presentation includes documentation of architectural Iznik masterpieces and will touch upon the renaissance of Iznik-style production in Turkey today.

Iznik (ancient Nicaea) is a town in Northwest Turkey and in its heyday--during the reign of Ottoman Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent (1520-1566)-- was an important artistic and cultural center. Although traditional Iznik tiles have not been produced for over 300 years, they are well known all over the world for their vibrant colors and the complexity and diversity of their designs. Iznik ceramics appear as kitchen utensils, tableware and vessels as well as architectural elements. The tiles have adorned palaces, mosques, public buildings and domestic interiors and have survived to the present day in all their splendor.

Curator of the exhibition, Peter Hristoff, who is an instructor at SVA in the BFA Fine Arts Department and a third-generation Turkish painter, describes the overwhelming experience of being in a space covered in Iznik tiles. "Not only does one sense the seamless transition of the outside (the enchanted, perfumed garden) into the indoors, but also the beauty and goodness of life and its transitory nature. All western preconceptions about 'decorative arts' fall away when one encounters an art that is hundreds of years old but still appears fresh and timeless."

Iznik ware reflects an Islamic aesthetic and art making practice emphasizing repetition and tradition. The radiant colors used resemble those of semiprecious stones such as the dark blue of lapis lazuli, turquoise blue, emerald green and especially the brilliant coral red. The figures and designs may reflect the flora and fauna of the region or allegorical symbols such as bravery, immortality and fertility. Many have inscriptions and calligraphy, which are used not to praise or describe any particular individual, but rather to express Islamic thought and philosophy.

Although no documentation exists of the actual process of making Iznik ware, historical examples confirm extremely intricate production methods. The raw materials are obtained from Iznik and its surroundings. This includes the quartz mineral, which is ground and mixed with clay, glass, frit and water to make the paste. The paste is then pressed into wooden frames and left to dry. The designs are drawn on paper and then transferred onto the tiles, painted and then fired at temperatures exceeding 900 degrees. Because the clay, undercoating and glaze have an 85% ratio of quartz and are fired at such high temperatures, the composition of these materials is distributed across a wide thermal spectrum and therefore very difficult to achieve.

Over the past 10 years there has been a revival of Iznik ceramic production, in large part due to the tireless efforts of the Iznik Foundation. Their initiatives have reinvigorated the town into one of Turkey's leading centers of ceramic art. Today, there are over 35 workshops producing Iznik-inspired wares. The Iznik Foundation was established in 1993 by Professor Dr. Isil Akbaygil, with the aim of revealing and reviving a cultural heritage which had been neglected for many years.

This exhibition is made possible by the Iznik Foundation, the Moon and Stars Project, Graphis Printing, Turkish Kitchen and MTS Logistics Inc.

A catalogue will be published in conjunction with the exhibition with essays by art critic and New York Times journalist John Ash; Dr. Isil Akbaygil, founder and director of the Iznik Foundation; and Peter Hristoff, curator of the exhibition and SVA Faculty.

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