I can still see tulips blooming from the blood of his eyes. 

Perhaps the tulip knew the inconstancy of the world, 

That it never let the cup of wine leave its palm from birth till death.

- (Poems from the Divan of Hafiz) SHEMSUDDIN MAHOMMAD

If you can imagine the variety of tile production, now begin to think about the specific styles of design and motifs characteristic to each period, region, class, etc. When we talk about the tiles of Istanbul, we inevitably reference Middle Eastern and Ottoman styles, which are largely characterized by their geometric symmetry and botanical motif. Specifically, these tiles are called Iznik, named after the town they were manufactured in, just outside of Istanbul. 

So why are certain patterns picked, and why do specific motifs keep showing up? In the case of Iznik tiles, the geometry is meant to represent infinite nature of Allah and the unity of creation, and the florals symbolize paradise and the divine beauty of nature. Specifically, one flower always seems to sprout up: the tulip. 

Originally cultivated in Central Asia and Iran, tulips became the revered bloom of the Ottoman Empire. The tulip translated a symbol of power and strength. This intense love of tulips is also credited to enticing the eye of European travelers, who eventually brought the bulb to its most world-renowned home, The Netherlands. In the Türkiye of today, the Tulip symbolizes abundance, prosperity, and renewal, reflecting the cultural richness and artistic expression embraced during the Ottoman Empire.

As you can imagine, I spent my weeks in Istanbul with my eyes taped open. I was looking for patterns everywhere; in tiles, metro stations, door handles, window grates, faint impressions in concrete. I tried to catalog as many as I could, and I also tasked my students with capturing any of the reappearing patterns they caught on to. 

As a group, we visited an artisan Turkish company that specializes in revitalizing encaustic cement tiles [Karoistanbul, and I recommend them with my whole chest]. I loved their designs so much that I carried around a 3x3in cement tile with me across six countries until I laid it to rest in a beautiful park in Nepal (due to luggage weight constraints). 

…Which leads me to the postal product for Türkiye: tiles! I wanted to coalesce my love for pattern, the important icons I came across in my travels, and moments that felt integral to my experience. I also used this opportunity to test my hand at designing and executing a four-color print with MacGyversed materials. 

1. It began with isolating the images and ideas I loved: Turkish coffee and çay (important to every meal and deliciously ceremonious), the best coffee logos I have ever seen (Kurukahveci and Al Götür), the classic çay glass + plate set (and their uncanny resemblance to - let me hear you say it - tulips!)

2. I came up with initial sketches and iterations that balanced central images and background design elements**

3. I isolated the final images into layers based on a four-color minimum

4. I hand-cut a stencil of each layer from photo paper (which proved best for flexibility and water resistance) (I want to express my gratitude to those students who unknowingly volunteered their headshots for this task)

5. Finally, I applied the color of each layer using an old sponge from a shoe-polishing kit I took from The Park Hotel in India. 

The ‘in-the-field’ experimentation and problem solving of this project was so fun and reminded me why I love printmaking so much. (Shoutout Umbau and all the landers around the world and in the sky. OLGA!)

Teşekkürler and enjoy! 

** I was able to complete an incredible class with my students on repeating pattern design and methods. I encourage you all to try it as an activity yourself. It is such a curious, exploratory project and one that yields really beautiful products you can use for so many things. I will attach my lesson plan here!