The Art of Islamic Calligraphy, with Master Calligrapher Efdaluddin Kılıç
This documentary series explores the lives, work, and reflections of three exceptional craftsmen and women based in Istanbul, Turkey: a calligrapher, an illuminator, and a bookbinder. Operating at the pinnacle of their respective professions, these films follow their journey through Islamic art, and shine a light on the value of traditional art and the ethics that support it. These films explore the inextricable links between religion and art, and how each craft is a product of, and opens a window into Islamic theology, culture, and history.
This first episode reveals the depth of knowledge and skill behind the processes of Islamic calligraphy, the most highly regarded and revered element of Islamic art. Master calligrapher Efdaluddin Kılıç describes the relationship between the Qur’an and Islamic calligraphy, guides us through their historical development, and demonstrates how a piece of calligraphy is made.
The documentary series concludes the one-year AIWG project workshop "Beauty and Islamic Theology", a joint research program of the Centre for Islamic Theology at the Eberhard-Karls-University Tübingen and the Chair of Islamic Religious Studies at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg.
Director: Asude Yağmur Durgun
Cinematography: Mert Sönmez, Ömer Çolak
Sound: Meryem Ayşe Göktaş
Edit: Ahmed Mücahid Aydoğan
Music: Tanburi Cemil Bey
Project Managers: Dr Bilal Badat (University of Tübingen), Dr Farid Suleiman (University of Erlangen).
Project Assistant: Ertul Ortabaş (University of Tübingen)
Special Thanks: Yön Group, Avrasya Danışmanlık