Current Exhibitions

The Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection

At its 10th anniversary, S.U. Sakıp Sabancı Museum (SSM) is re-launching its ‘The Arts of the Book and the Calligraphy Collection’ at Atlı Köşk (Horse Mansion) with a new design and a contemporary display approach as of 10th of May. SSM digitalized its collections and archive to provide a detailed look at the valuable and rare manuscripts of the Turkish and Islamic Art. Interactive methods in the exhibition halls, such as the animations that linked to iPad applications with ‘augmented reality’, offer unusual experiences to visitors.

Sakıp Sabancı Collection of the Arts of the Book and Calligraphy consists of more than 200 examples of illuminated Korans, prayer books, calligraphic compositions, albums and panels written by well-known calligraphers, illuminated official documents bearing the imperial cipher of the Ottoman sultans as well as calligrapher’s tools, all produced during a period extending from the end of the 14th century to the 20th century. With the vision to spread traditional arts, SSM also includes some unique artwork from contemporary artists. In this context, with the new presentation of the collection, the calligraphic composition referring calligraphy exercises of Ahmet Oran dated 2005-2006 greets the visitors. Turkey’s one of the most renowned contemporary artist Kutluğ Ataman’s video, reminding the calligraphic mirror compositions known as müsenna or aynalı reveals the link of the exhibition to contemporary arts. The special exhibition catalogue is also published in Turkish and English for the enthusiasts who wish to examine closely the Arts of the Book and Calligraphy Collection. Within the framework of the exhibition, a documentary film—showing the manuscript book production in all its phases—realized with the collaboration of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University and the Sakıp Sabancı Museum aims at informing the visitors about this difficult creation process.