Tezhip Okyanus (Gilded Ocean) - Sold
24” X 36” Layered resin, stone and gold leaf mounted on wood

Derived from the Arabic word for gilding, “Tezhip” is the traditional Turkish/Ottoman art of illumination painting, using crushed gold to form patterns in vivid colors. Historically, it was used in handwritten books and calligraphic texts whose hues remained brilliant over centuries.

As my work has always been influenced by Middle Eastern architecture, South Asian design, and Arabic calligraphy, it only seemed natural for me to use this technique to delicately gild the boundaries of resin and stone, using its luminosity to create a sense of spatial depth.