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NATALIE LYUBOMIRSKY

Turkish Daily News

Ebru art has a long history and a technique completely unique to its form. Known as Turkish Ebru art, its cultural significance originally began as a part of bookbinding but has now found its place in the art world. It has evolved over many centuries, from its functionality, to the materials used to produce it, to the motifs. The practice of this traditional art was gradually disappearing when Nuri Pınar, now the foremost known Ebru Artist made it his mission to produce Ebru and inform the world of its existence and ensure its continuance.

The process of making this art is unique as it is completely painted within water. Water is placed into a rectangular tray in which gum is then added to make the consistency much thicker. Paint is then sprinkled on the surface and a pattern is created by running a thin stick through it. Once the pattern is completed a sheet of paper is placed on top and it is left for a couple of minutes. The paper is then slid carefully off revealing the Ebru design.

Pınar first came across this distinctive art form while living in Switzerland in 1976. While working as a tourist guide he read a book called “Ebru in Turkish Art” and it sparked an interest in him.

“I read this book and it changed my life. There was only one master creating Ebru and this art form was dying. One sentence in the book was that if the master could not find an apprentice then this art would disappear. I thought I had to save this art,” Pınar said.

One week later, after getting time off from work, he found himself in Istanbul and in the presence of the master mentioned in the book. “When I arrived I told him that I wanted to learn this art and save it. The master asked me if someone had cursed me because I was interested in this job and it was a troublesome one. He told me that I couldn’t do it from Switzerland, that I must stay in Istanbul and work with him for six months,” Pınar said.

Pınar retuned to Switzerland saddened, yet resolved to teach himself. Reading several books describing the technique he practiced yet was not able to achieve the right result. Seven months later he returned to Istanbul to see the master who once again told him not to get involved. Angry and dismayed at the fact that he would not teach him Pınar made a promise to himself. “I decided to make Ebru Art better than the master. It was a matter of pride now,” Pınar said.

For many years he attempted to teach himself the technique by reading and studying every source that he could get his hands on. He even learned Latin to understand a document he found on Ebru dating back to the Middle Ages. In 1980 the author of the book that changed his life, Uğur Dermar, arrived in Switzerland for a seminar that he was giving. By chance Pınar was his guide but did not reveal his interest in Ebru until afterwards when he asked Uğur to sign a copy of his book. Pınar asked Uğur Dermar to teach him the technique of Ebru but was once again disappointed when the author exclaimed he had no idea and only wrote the book out of interest for art history. “I decided to continue trying myself and then eventually began to create Ebru correctly,” Pınar said.

“I used foreign sources to teach myself, there were no Turkish ones. There were no books available in Turkish. We call it Turkish Ebru but we don’t even have one book about it. In the U.S. there are hundreds, in England, Australia and New Zealand there are books on it, but none here. How can we claim it to be Turkish if there are no books here about it? There is no historical legacy for future generations. No one cares about art, everyone cares about money, they just have dollar signs in their eyes,” Pınar said.

This legacy was one of the main reasons that Pınar felt impassioned to become involved in Ebru, not only to save the art itself but also preserve it for future generations and enable it to be part of Turkish culture.
Ebru’s cultural significance

“I’m not sure if I can call Ebru art or if its craft. This is up to the art historians,” Pınar said.

Originally Ebru was a part of book binding, used as a background for calligraphy, as the use of white paper was not good, due to the fact that it was too harsh on the eyes. In the times of the Ottoman Empire, Ebru was used in an official sense for example in rental agreements. It was a form of security in case someone tried to erase the writing off the document. The Ebru would be erased as well revealing it to be a forgery. “Benjamin Franklin used Ebru on currency to eliminate forgeries and accounting books had Ebru borders so that if a page was removed it was noticeable,” Pınar said.

“Ebru’s cultural significance was ingrained in Book Arts. Today there is no one writing Arabic in calligraphy or reading it. No one does book binding, no one reads in general so what’s going to happen to Ebru?” Pınar said.

In 1965 the same master who refused to teach Pınar decided to present these artworks to the public by framing it and it spread. “Now you can make it on fabric, wood and many different materials, but the real one is one paper,” Pınar said.

The meaning itself changes among cultures. Ebr in Çağatay Turkish mean clouds while Ebri means reminiscent, resembling.

“In Western cultures such as America it means marbling, which to me sounds very cold and harsh. We are an Eastern, oriental society, we are more imaginative. We call it cloud-like because it changes its shape, its color, it is light and romantic and you cannot touch it. The cultural differences come out through the terminology,” Pınar said.
Ebru’s evolution

“One thing that doesn’t change is that everything changes and this art has changed,” Pınar said.

The first change that occurred was in regard to its function as it started as a form of paper decorative art and is now art in itself. The oldest known example of Ebru is in the Topkapı museum. It is an anthology of poetry called Ruhi Cevgan by poet Arifi from 1539.

The second change was in terms of the materials used. In its beginnings only organic paints were used and one form of gum was available. Today there are many pigments, both chemical and organic, that can be used as well as many varieties of gum from seaweed to salep. The third change is the motifs. At first Ebru was only abstract but in the last 130 years artists began painting stylized flowers.

And finally there was a gender change in that before Ebru artists were only men but now they are mostly women. The reasons for these changes were simple “necessity and demand,” Pınar said.
The importance of maintaining Ebru

Pınar is very strong in his affirmation about maintaining Ebru for future generations. It is not only due to the fact that it has a long history within Turkey but also is a part of Turkish Identity.

“ I am anti-globalization. Globalization will absorb all cultures and will leave empty people. Local cultures will be totally absorbed and this is very dangerous. Culture is what makes me who I am. The tambourine and the ney makes me who I am. My identity is through this land, through Turkey. Our roots run underground, I belong here. Globalization will destroy my roots, my culture. Therefore these kinds of traditional arts are a necessity for every culture. I am an anti-globalist, for the last 35 years I have been in opposition. I insist with the ney and with Ebru art. I know I cannot stop globalization but I have to insist because of this land. I lived in Europe for 25 years but I never belonged there, I am from Turkey. For this culture to continue; this art and every traditional art must continue,” Pınar said.

Pınar continued, “now we make 1 billion people wear the same uniform, getting rid of any differences, but we are all different. One eye is different from the other, everything is different. Beauty is in the differences. The thing that keeps these differences alive is art and artists.”

But this understanding must start at a local level, as it is the public that can make the difference. Visitors from overseas were amazed at Pınar’s exhibitions exclaiming that his artwork was beautiful and amazing. However Pınar feels that locals in Turkey do not care about it and this is reflected in the poorly kept or closed art galleries in İzmir.

“İzmir is the city of ignorant merchants. No one here cares about art and its survival. The average business man will spend YTL 200 on dinner, drinking one glass of rakı after another and eating fish but will not contribute even YTL 50 to the arts,” Pınar said.

Ebru like many traditional arts is as relevant to present day society, as it is historically. However the survival of traditional Turkish arts depends on the people. Pınar has made it his mission to make sure that this art form lives on, nevertheless he cannot do it alone. Traditional arts such as Ebru will only continue if people ensure it does, such as attending art galleries or taking an interest. It is not only a matter of preserving the arts but ensuring the continuance of ones identity as both go hand in hand.

Ebru art has a long history and a technique completely unique to its form. Known as Turkish Ebru art, its cultural significance originally began as a part of bookbinding but has now found its place in the art world. It has evolved over many centuries, from its functionality, to the materials used to produce it, to the motifs. The practice of this traditional art was gradually disappearing when Nuri Pınar, now the foremost known Ebru Artist made it his mission to produce Ebru and inform the world of its existence and ensure its continuance.

The process of making this art is unique as it is completely painted within water. Water is placed into a rectangular tray in which gum is then added to make the consistency much thicker. Paint is then sprinkled on the surface and a pattern is created by running a thin stick through it. Once the pattern is completed a sheet of paper is placed on top and it is left for a couple of minutes. The paper is then slid carefully off revealing the Ebru design.

Pınar first came across this distinctive art form while living in Switzerland in 1976. While working as a tourist guide he read a book called “Ebru in Turkish Art” and it sparked an interest in him.

“I read this book and it changed my life. There was only one master creating Ebru and this art form was dying. One sentence in the book was that if the master could not find an apprentice then this art would disappear. I thought I had to save this art,” Pınar said.

One week later, after getting time off from work, he found himself in Istanbul and in the presence of the master mentioned in the book. “When I arrived I told him that I wanted to learn this art and save it. The master asked me if someone had cursed me because I was interested in this job and it was a troublesome one. He told me that I couldn’t do it from Switzerland, that I must stay in Istanbul and work with him for six months,” Pınar said.

Pınar retuned to Switzerland saddened, yet resolved to teach himself. Reading several books describing the technique he practiced yet was not able to achieve the right result. Seven months later he returned to Istanbul to see the master who once again told him not to get involved. Angry and dismayed at the fact that he would not teach him Pınar made a promise to himself. “I decided to make Ebru Art better than the master. It was a matter of pride now,” Pınar said.

For many years he attempted to teach himself the technique by reading and studying every source that he could get his hands on. He even learned Latin to understand a document he found on Ebru dating back to the Middle Ages. In 1980 the author of the book that changed his life, Uğur Dermar, arrived in Switzerland for a seminar that he was giving. By chance Pınar was his guide but did not reveal his interest in Ebru until afterwards when he asked Uğur to sign a copy of his book. Pınar asked Uğur Dermar to teach him the technique of Ebru but was once again disappointed when the author exclaimed he had no idea and only wrote the book out of interest for art history. “I decided to continue trying myself and then eventually began to create Ebru correctly,” Pınar said.

“I used foreign sources to teach myself, there were no Turkish ones. There were no books available in Turkish. We call it Turkish Ebru but we don’t even have one book about it. In the U.S. there are hundreds, in England, Australia and New Zealand there are books on it, but none here. How can we claim it to be Turkish if there are no books here about it? There is no historical legacy for future generations. No one cares about art, everyone cares about money, they just have dollar signs in their eyes,” Pınar said.

This legacy was one of the main reasons that Pınar felt impassioned to become involved in Ebru, not only to save the art itself but also preserve it for future generations and enable it to be part of Turkish culture.
Ebru’s cultural significance

“I’m not sure if I can call Ebru art or if its craft. This is up to the art historians,” Pınar said.

Originally Ebru was a part of book binding, used as a background for calligraphy, as the use of white paper was not good, due to the fact that it was too harsh on the eyes. In the times of the Ottoman Empire, Ebru was used in an official sense for example in rental agreements. It was a form of security in case someone tried to erase the writing off the document. The Ebru would be erased as well revealing it to be a forgery. “Benjamin Franklin used Ebru on currency to eliminate forgeries and accounting books had Ebru borders so that if a page was removed it was noticeable,” Pınar said.

“Ebru’s cultural significance was ingrained in Book Arts. Today there is no one writing Arabic in calligraphy or reading it. No one does book binding, no one reads in general so what’s going to happen to Ebru?” Pınar said.

In 1965 the same master who refused to teach Pınar decided to present these artworks to the public by framing it and it spread. “Now you can make it on fabric, wood and many different materials, but the real one is one paper,” Pınar said.

The meaning itself changes among cultures. Ebr in Çağatay Turkish mean clouds while Ebri means reminiscent, resembling.

“In Western cultures such as America it means marbling, which to me sounds very cold and harsh. We are an Eastern, oriental society, we are more imaginative. We call it cloud-like because it changes its shape, its color, it is light and romantic and you cannot touch it. The cultural differences come out through the terminology,” Pınar said.
Ebru’s evolution

“One thing that doesn’t change is that everything changes and this art has changed,” Pınar said.

The first change that occurred was in regard to its function as it started as a form of paper decorative art and is now art in itself. The oldest known example of Ebru is in the Topkapı museum. It is an anthology of poetry called Ruhi Cevgan by poet Arifi from 1539.

The second change was in terms of the materials used. In its beginnings only organic paints were used and one form of gum was available. Today there are many pigments, both chemical and organic, that can be used as well as many varieties of gum from seaweed to salep. The third change is the motifs. At first Ebru was only abstract but in the last 130 years artists began painting stylized flowers.

And finally there was a gender change in that before Ebru artists were only men but now they are mostly women. The reasons for these changes were simple “necessity and demand,” Pınar said.
The importance of maintaining Ebru

Pınar is very strong in his affirmation about maintaining Ebru for future generations. It is not only due to the fact that it has a long history within Turkey but also is a part of Turkish Identity.

“ I am anti-globalization. Globalization will absorb all cultures and will leave empty people. Local cultures will be totally absorbed and this is very dangerous. Culture is what makes me who I am. The tambourine and the ney makes me who I am. My identity is through this land, through Turkey. Our roots run underground, I belong here. Globalization will destroy my roots, my culture. Therefore these kinds of traditional arts are a necessity for every culture. I am an anti-globalist, for the last 35 years I have been in opposition. I insist with the ney and with Ebru art. I know I cannot stop globalization but I have to insist because of this land. I lived in Europe for 25 years but I never belonged there, I am from Turkey. For this culture to continue; this art and every traditional art must continue,” Pınar said.

Pınar continued, “now we make 1 billion people wear the same uniform, getting rid of any differences, but we are all different. One eye is different from the other, everything is different. Beauty is in the differences. The thing that keeps these differences alive is art and artists.”

But this understanding must start at a local level, as it is the public that can make the difference. Visitors from overseas were amazed at Pınar’s exhibitions exclaiming that his artwork was beautiful and amazing. However Pınar feels that locals in Turkey do not care about it and this is reflected in the poorly kept or closed art galleries in İzmir.

“İzmir is the city of ignorant merchants. No one here cares about art and its survival. The average business man will spend YTL 200 on dinner, drinking one glass of rakı after another and eating fish but will not contribute even YTL 50 to the arts,” Pınar said.

Ebru like many traditional arts is as relevant to present day society, as it is historically. However the survival of traditional Turkish arts depends on the people. Pınar has made it his mission to make sure that this art form lives on, nevertheless he cannot do it alone. Traditional arts such as Ebru will only continue if people ensure it does, such as attending art galleries or taking an interest. It is not only a matter of preserving the arts but ensuring the continuance of ones identity as both go hand in hand.

Ebrû sanatının uzun bir tarihi ve tamamen kendine özgü bir tekniği vardır. Türk ebrûsu olarak bilinen bu sanatın kültürel önemi cilt sanatının bir öğesi olarak başlamış olsa da, artık günümüz sanat dünyasında kendi yerini almıştır. Ebrû sanatı, işlevselliğinden yapımında kullanılan malzemeye ve motiflerine kadar yüzyıllar boyunca yayılmış bulunmaktadır. Bu geleneksel sanatın işlevi yavaş yavaş kaybolmaktayken, günümüzün önde gelen ebrû sanatçılarından olan Nuri Pınar, ebrû yapmayı, dünyayı bu sanatın varlığından haberdar etmeyi ve bu sanatın devamını sağlamayı bir görev olarak üstlenmişti.

Ebrû yapım süreci, boyalar tamamen suyun içinde şekillendiğinden dolayı, sadece bu sanata özgü bir haldir. Yoğunluğunu artırmak amacıyla içine kıvam verici maddeler konan su, dikdörtgen bir tekneye dökülür. Boya yüzeye serpiştirilir ve ortaya çıkan boyalı su üzerinde metal çubukların gezdirilmesiyle motif oluşur. Motif oluşunca emici bir kâğıt önce su yüzeyine özenle yatırılır ve akabinde teknenin kenarına sürtülerek dikkatlice dışarı çıkarılır. Böylelikle su yüzeyinde oluşturulan motifler kağıda aktarılmış olur.

Pınar bu özgün sanat biçimiyle, 1976 yılında İsviçre’de yaşarken tanışmış. Turist rehberi olarak çalışırken , ” Türk Sanatında Ebrû ” adlı bir kitap okur ve okudukları kendisinde büyük bir ilgi uyandırır.

“Okuduğum bu kitap hayatımı değiştirdi. O zaman ebrû yapan bir tek hoca vardı ve bu sanat ölmek üzereydi. Bu kitaptaki bir cümle “eğer usta çırak bulamazsa bu sanat yok olabilir” diyordu. Bu sanatı yok olmaktan kurtarmalıyım diye düşündüm.”

Pınar bir hafta sonra işten arda kalan bir zamanında kendini İstanbul’da, kitapta sözü edilen ustanın huzurunda bulur. “Kendisine vardığımda bu sanatı öğrenmek ve yok olmaktan kurtarmak istiyorum dedim. Usta bana birinin intizar edip etmediğini sordu, çünkü ebrû gibi çok çetrefilli olan bir konuya ilgi duymuştum. Bu işi İsviçre’de yapamayacağımı, ve İstanbul’da kendisiyle altı ay çalışmam gerektiğini söyledi”.

Pınar hüzünlü bir şekilde İsviçre’ye döner ve nihayet kendi başına öğrenmeye karar verir. Ebrû tekniklerikonusunda okuyup edindiği birçok bilgileri uygulamasına rağmen henüz düzgün bir sonuca ulaşmış değildi. Yedi ay sonra ustayı tekrar görmek üzere İstanbul’a döndüğünde, usta kendisine bu işe hiç bulaşmamasını tekrarlar. Bu cevap kendisinde bir infial yaratır. Ustadan ebrû konusunda eğitim alamayacağı gerçeği karşısında kaygılanır ve kendi kendine söz verir : “Ebrûyu ustadan daha iyi yapmaya karar vermiştim. Bu artık bir gurur meselesi haline gelmişti.”

Uzun yıllar eline geçirebildiği her kitabı okuyup uygulayarak kendini yetiştirmeye gayret eder. Ebrû ile ilgili Orta Çağ’a ait belgeleri anlamak için Latince öğrenir. Yaşamını değiştiren kitabın yazarı Prof. Dr. Uğur Derman bir seminer vermek üzere 1980 yılında İsviçre’ye gelir. Bir tevafuk eseri Pınar kendisinin tercümanı olur. Ancak, kitabını imzalamasını Uğur Derman’dan rica edene kadar, ebrûya olan ilgisini açıklamaz. Pınar, Uğur Derman’a ebrû tekniğini kendisine öğretmesini rica ettiğinde Derman, bu konuda fazla bir fikri olmadığını ve bu kitabı sanat tarihine olan ilgisinin dışında yazdığını söyledi. “Kendi kendime deneyerek ebrûya devam etmeye karar verdim ve büyük bir olasılıkla doğru düzgün bir şekilde ebrû yapabileceğime inanıyordum.”

“Kendimi eğitmek için yabancı kaynaklardan yararlandım. Türkçe hiç bir kaynak yoktu. Biz buna Türk ebrûsu diyoruz ancak ebrû ile ilgili bir kitabımız bile yok. A.B.D.’de yüzlerce, İngiltere, Avustralya ve Yeni Zelanda da birçok kitap olmasına rağmen ülkemizde hiç yoktu. Burada yayınlanmış bir kitap dahi yokken, ebrûnun Türk sanatı olduğunu nasıl iddia edebiliriz. Gelecek nesiller için hiç bir tarihsel miras yok. Kimse sanatla değil, parayla ilgileniyor, gözlerinde sadece dolar işareti var.”

Bu miras, Yalnızca sanatı yaşatmak için değil, onu gelecek nesiller için korumayı ve Türk kültürünün bir parçası olarak devamını sağlamak amacıyla, Pınar’ı tutkuyla ebrûya bağlayan temel nedenlerden biridir.

EBRÛNUN KÜLTÜREL ANLAMI

“Ben ebrûnun sanat mı yoksa zanaat mı olduğunu bilemem. Bu iş sanat tarihçilerinin işidir” diyerek Pınar devam etti.

Başlangıçta ebrû ciltçiliğin bir parçasıydı ve beyaz kâğıt gözleri kamaştırdığından dolayı hat sanatında zemin olarak ebrûlu kağıtlar kullanılıyordu. Ebrûlu kağıtlar ayrıca Osmanlı döneminde resmi işlemlerde, örneğin sözleşmelerde kullanılıyordu. Belge üzerindeki yazıların silinerek tahrifat yapılmasına karşı ebrû güvenli bir zemin teşkil ediyordu. Çünkü resmî kâğıdın üstündeki yazı silinmek istendiğinde ebrû da silinecekti. Pınar şöyle devam etti: “Benjamin Franklin sahtekârlığı önlemek için paraları ebrûlu kağıtlara bastırıyordu. Diğer yandan muhasebe defterlerinin kenarlarında da ebrû mevcut olup defterden bir kâğıt yırtılıp kopartılırsa bu apaçık belli olurdu.”

“ Ebrûnun kültürel önemi Kitap Sanatlarından bir tanesi olmasından kaynaklanıyor. Günümüzde Arap harfleriyle hat yazan veya okuyan yok. Kitap ciltleyecek usta yok, ebrûnun geleceğine ilişkin olarak kimse düşünce üretmiyor. “ diye Pınar devam etti.

Pınar’ı öğrenciliğe kabul etmeyen usta, 1967 yılında eserlerini çerçeveletip bir sergi açmak suretiyle, ebrûyu halka tanıtmış oldu ve böylelikle ebrû yayılmaya başladı. Pınar’ın belirttiğine göre : “Artık ebrû kumaşa, ahşaba ve birçok başka malzeme üzerine alınabilmekte, ancak asıl ebrû sadece kağıda alınandır.”

Ebrûnun manası kültürden kültüre değişmektedir. “Ebr” Çağatay Türkçesinde bulut manasına geliyorken, “ebrî” bulutları hatırlatan, buluta benzeyen manasına gelmektedir.

Pınar şöyle dedi : “Amerika’da olduğu gibi batı kültürlerinde, çok katı ve soğuk bulduğum, hâreleme manasına gelen “marbling” sözcüğü kullanılmaktadır. Biz bir Doğu toplumuyuz, hayal dünyamız daha zengindir. Biz ebrûyu bulutlara benzetip, isimlendirmişiz, çünkü bulut şeklini, rengini hiç durmadan değiştirir, ışıklı ve romantiktir ve ona elle dokunamazsınız. Şu isimlendirme konusunda bile kültürel farklılığımız bariz olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır.”

EBRÛNUN EVRİMİ

Pınar şöyle devam etti: “Değişmeyen tek şey her şeyin değişmekte olduğu kuralıdır. O bakımdan ebrû da değişmektedir.

Meydana gelen ilk değişim ebrûnun işlevselliği konusundadır. Kağıt süsleme sanatlarının bir türü olarak başlamış olsa da, günümüzde ebrû başlı başına bir sanat haline gelmiştir. Bilinen en eski ebrû Topkapı Sarayı Müzesi’nde bulunmaktadır. Şair Arifî’nin Gûy-i Cevgân adlı Divan’ı (şiir antolojisi) olan bu yapıt miladî 1539 tarihlidir.

İkinci değişim malzemeler ile ilgilidir. Başlangıçta sadece organik boyalar kullanılıyor ve kıvam artırıcı olarak ta tek tip zamk kullanılıyordu. Bugün ise hem kimyasal hem de organik birçok türde pigmentler kullanıldığı gibi ayrıca deniz yosunundan sahlepe kadar birçok kıvam artırıcı zamk ta kullanılmaktadır. Üçüncü bir değişim ise motiflerde göze çarpmaktadır. Başlangıçta ebrû sadece soyuttu, ancak son 130 yıldır ebrûcular üslûplaştırılmış çiçekler de nakşetmektedirler.

Son olarak ta, ebrûyu önceleri sadece erkekler yapıyorken, artık günümüzde hanımlar da yapmaya başladılar. Pınar şöyle devam etti : “Bu değişimlerin nedenleri son derece basittir : Gereksinim ve istek.”

EBRÛYU SÜRDÜRMENİN ÖNEMİ

Pınar gelecek nesiller için ebrûyu sürdürmek konusunda vermiş olduğu sözü tutmakta çok kararlı. Pınar için ebrû Türkiye’de, yalnızca uzun bir geçmişe sahip olduğundan değil, Türk kimliğinin bir parçası olduğu için de önemli.

“Ben küreselleşme karşıtıyım. Küreselleşme tüm kültürleri yutacak ve ortalıkta bomboş insanlar bırakacak. Yerel kültürler tamamıyla yutulacak. Bu çok tehlikeli bir durumdur. Kültürüm beni ben yapandır. Tambur ve ney beni ben yapandır. Benim kimliğim bu topraklardır ve Türkiye’den geçer. Köklerimiz derinlere inmektedir ve ben buraya aitim. Küreselleşme benim köklerimi ve kültürümü yok edecek. Ayrıca bu tarz gelenekli sanatlar her kültürün gereksinimidir. Ben küreselleşme karşıtıyım ve son otuz beş yıldır da buna muhalefet ettim. Ebrûm ve ney sazımla buna aktif olarak direniyorum. Küreselleşmeyi durduramayacağımın farkındayım, ama bu topraklardan dolayı direnmek zorundayım. Ben Avrupa’da yirmi beş yıl yaşadım, ancak hiç bir zaman oraya ait olmadım, ben Türk’üm ve kültürümün devam etmesi için ebrû sanatımız ve tüm gelenekli sanatlarımız devam etmelidir. ”

Pınar şöyle devam etti : “Şu anda aynı elbiseyi giyen bir milyar kişi ortaya çıkardık. Herhangi bir farklılığı kabul etmekte zorlanıyoruz, ama hepimiz birbirimizden farklıyız. Bir göz diğerinden farklıdır. Her şey farklıdır. Güzellik farklılıktadır. Bu farklılığı baki kılan ise sanat ve sanatçılardır.”

Ancak bu anlayış bölgesel düzede başlamalı, zira farklılığı oluşturan toplumun kendisidir. Pınar’ın sergilerine farklı ülkelerden gelen ziyaretçiler gördükleri eserlerin güzelliği ve ilgi çekiciliği karşısında hayrete düşüyorlar. Ancak Pınar, Türk toplumunun sergilere gereken ilgi ve dikkati göstermediğini, bununda sergi sayısının az olmasına ya da İzmir gibi bir büyük kentte sanat galerilerinin kapanmasına yol açtığını düşünüyor.

“İzmir, ilgisiz tüccarların şehridir. Burada kimse sanatla ve sanatın hayatta kalmasıyla ilgilenmiyor. İşadamlarının çoğu rakı-balık sofrasında kişi başı 200 YTL harcar ama sanata 50 YTL’lik bir katkıda bulunmaz.” diyerek, Pınar sözlerini sürdürdü.

Ebrû diğer gelenekli sanatlardaki gibi, tarihsel olduğu kadar günümüz toplumuyla da ilintilidir. Buna rağmen geleneksel Türk sanatlarının yaşaması Türk halkına bağlıdır. Pınar misyonunu, bu sanatın yaşayacağından emin olmak amacıyla onu hiç bir zaman terk etmemek olarak belirlemiş. Ebrû gibi gelenekli sanatların yaşaması ancak insanların onları devam ettirmelerine bağlıdır. Bu bir sanatı koruma meselesi değil insanların kimliklerinin devamının sağlanmasıdır.

Çeviren: Bahadır Turan