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Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil

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Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil, who engaged in the art of ebru and developed a technique known as "Barut Ebrusu", has conducted research in this field.

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This article was automatically translated from the original Turkish version.

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Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil

Year of Birth(Number)				1952
Place of Birth(Text)				Malatya / Türkiye
Profession(s)				Ebruzen / Artist
Education				Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts
Awards Received				Art in Action BEST OF THE BEST Living Human Treasure Award 1st Silver Tulip Award
Yaş				73

Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil, born in 1952 in Malatya, is a renowned ebru artist known for developing the "Barut Ebru" technique and for his extensive educational activities, seminars, exhibitions, and workshops in this field.

Barut Ebru (İthaf Sanat)
Childhood and Youth
Hikmet Barutçugil spent the first ten years of his life in Malatya, his birthplace. In interviews, he stated that his fascination with drawing shapes on water began in childhood, when he would use a stick to push apricot leaves floating in a small ornamental pond in his garden.

Hikmet Barutçugil completed primary school at the age of ten. At that time, his family migrated from Malatya to Istanbul. The artist noted that he did not perform well academically during middle and high school, but began higher education in 1973.
Educational Background
In 1973, he enrolled in the Applied Industrial Arts High School at Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts, specializing in textiles. During his first year of study, he was introduced to calligraphy through his teacher Emin Barın. His path crossed with ebru art for the first time when, under his teacher’s guidance, he examined calligraphy panels in the Süleymaniye Library.
Career and Achievements
Career
After graduating in 1977 as a textile designer, he intensified his focus on ebru. Between 1978 and 1981, he traveled to London for specialized training, where he continued his artistic work and enriched his technical knowledge through creative experimentation.

To promote ebru art, he organized exhibitions both within and outside Türkiye, conducted courses, seminars, art therapy sessions, and delivered lectures. He participated in numerous television programs and presented papers at relevant congresses.

He continues his artistic practice at Ebristan Istanbul Ebru House, applying techniques such as miniature painting, illumination, calligraphy, and bookbinding.

He has taught ebru art at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Traditional Turkish Arts; Marmara University, GSF Department of Traditional Turkish Arts; the National Palaces Education Directorate – Yıldız Palace Şale Köşkü; Ebristan Istanbul Ebru House; and the Üsküdar Municipality Altunizade Cultural Center.

Hikmet Barutçugil (Diyanet News)
Exhibitions【1】 
1983
May, Kšl. Stuttgart Messe, Stuttgart, Germany
1988
February–March, Kšl. Royal College of Art, London, United Kingdom
May–November, Kar. Artifaks, Las Vegas, NV, USA
1989
June, Kšl. Idemar Gallery, Guelph, Canada
June, Kšl. Int. Ges. F., Vienna, Austria
August, Kšl. Ayasofya, Istanbul, Türkiye
1990
March, Kšl. Int. Ges. F., Vienna, Austria
March, Kšl. Emlak Bankası Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
April, Kar. Yıldız Sarayı, Istanbul, Türkiye
April, Kar. Hobby Messe, Dornbirn, Austria
May, Kšl. Ayasofya Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye
June, Kar. Paşa Konağı, Ankara, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
September, Kšl. Ayasofya Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye
September, Kar. Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
November, Kar. Autonomous University, Madrid, Spain
November, Kar. Diwana Gallery, Vienna, Austria
December, Kšl. Schloss Kittsee, Kittsee, Austria
1991
January, Kar. Yıldız Sarayı – Silahhane, Istanbul, Türkiye
January, Kšl. Ministry of Culture Gallery, Kütahya, Türkiye
April–May, Kšl. Ayasofya Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye
June, Kar. Julery Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
June, Kar. Graz University, Graz, Austria
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
November, Kar. Galerie Seghaier, Vienna, Austria
1992
January, Kšl. Komodie Salzburg Gallery, Salzburg, Austria
February, Kšl. Art-Elle, Basel, Switzerland
April–May, Kar. Nicolaysen Art Museum, Casper, WY, USA
May–June, Kšl. İstanbul in Beale, Memphis, TN, USA
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
July, Kar. 2nd International Ebru Artists Meeting, San Francisco, USA
September, Kšl. Basel Paper Museum, Basel, Switzerland
October, Kšl. Komodie Salzburg Gallery, Salzburg, Austria
October, Kšl. Stad Museum, Dorbrin, Austria
November, Kšl. Volkshochschule Ottakring, Vienna, Austria
November, Kšl. Frankfurter Ring, Frankfurt, Germany
1993
February, Kšl. St. Virgil, Salzburg, Austria
February, Kšl. Turkish Cultural Center, Cologne, Germany
April, Kšl. Press Museum, Istanbul, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
1994
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
September, Kšl. Türkisches Bildungszentrum, Dortmund, Germany
October, Kar. 1st International Islamic Artisan at Work Festival, Islamabad, Pakistan
1995
May, Kšl. Elif Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kar. Beyoğlu Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
October, Kar. Tarık Zafer Tunaya Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
1996
May, Kšl. Lâle Festival, Ottawa, Canada
June, Kar. Habitat II, Istanbul, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
November, Kar. World Trade Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
November, Kar. Eylül Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
1997
January, Kar. 1st International Seminar on “Arabesque” in Crafts of OICD Countries – Damascus, Syria
June, Kar. 4th International Ebru Artists Congress – Istanbul, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
July, Kar. October Gallery, London, United Kingdom
October, Kar. Beyt’ül Hikmet, Tunis, Tunisia
1998
January, Kar. Taksim Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
February, Kšl. American University, Cairo, Egypt
March, Kar. Esbank Art Gallery, Kütahya, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
December, Kar. Karatay Cultural Center, Konya, Türkiye
1999
February, Kar. Ebristan (Istanbul Ebru House), Istanbul, Türkiye
March, Kar. Ebristan (Istanbul Ebru House), Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kšl. Lâle Festival, Ottawa, Canada
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
2000
March, Kar. Uzka Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
March, Kšl. 1st International Craft Festival, Puerto Rico
April, Kar. Ebristan (Istanbul Ebru House), Istanbul, Türkiye
April, Kar. Lâle Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kar. Feshane Water Symposium, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kšl. Taksim Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
October, Kšl. Yaşar Art Gallery, İzmir, Türkiye
October, Kar. Cologne Turkish Days, Cologne, Germany
November, Kar. Caferağa Medresesi, Istanbul, Türkiye
December, Kar. Ebristan (Istanbul Ebru House), Istanbul, Türkiye
2001
February, Kšl. Alta Mira Art Gallery, Mersin, Türkiye
March, Kšl. Sabancı Cultural Center, Adana, Türkiye
April, Kar. Rotterdam Islamic University, Rotterdam, Netherlands
May, Kar. Yıldız Sarayı – Silahhane, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kar. Yıldız Sarayı Çit Kasrı, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kar. Istanbul University Cultural Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
June, Kar. CRR Cemal Reşit Rey, Istanbul, Türkiye
2002
March, Kar. İzmit Art Gallery, İzmit, Türkiye
April, Kar. Marmara University GSF, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kšl. Tuze Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kar. CRR Cemal Reşit Rey, Istanbul, Türkiye
May–August, Kar. The Scott Foresman, Glenview, IL, USA
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
August, Kar. Ada Cultural Center, Ayvalık, Türkiye
September, Kar. Arrow M. School of Arts & Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN, USA
October, Kar. International Congress on Islamic Art and Crafts, Isfahan, Iran
December, Kšl. MSU Osman Hamdi Bey Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
2003
February–April, Kšl. DVM Capital AG, Frankfurt, Germany
March, Kar. National Museum, Manama, Bahrain
March–April, Kšl. Decatur House Museum, Washington DC, USA
May–June, Kšl. Galeri Efsun, Istanbul, Türkiye
June, Kar. Tophane-i Amire, Istanbul, Türkiye
June–July, Kšl. Deutsche Bank, Bonn, Germany
July, Kšl. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
October–November, Kšl. Crown Plaza, Istanbul, Türkiye
October–November, Kar. CRR Cemal Reşit Rey, Istanbul, Türkiye
November, Kšl. “Design Festa” BIG SIGHT, Tokyo, Japan
December, Kšl. Yedinci Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
2004
February, Kšl. American University, Cairo, Egypt
March, Kar. Altunizade Cultural Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
April, Kšl. Tonami Art Museum, Toyama, Japan
April, Kšl. Yeşilyurt Sports Club, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kšl. Yıldız Sarayı, Çit Kasrı, Istanbul, Türkiye
May, Kar. Hazmieh Rotana, Beirut, Lebanon
June, Kšl. Slovenske Narodne Muzeum, Bratislava, Slovakia
July, Kšl. Sanders Gallery, Vöhringen, Germany
September, Kar. Turkish Festival (Daley Plaza), Chicago, USA
September, Kar. Turkish Festival, Washington DC, USA
September, Kšl. Bengal Gallery of Fine Arts, Dhaka, Bangladesh
October, Kšl. Rakuni Hotel, Rhodes, Greece
2005
February–March, Kšl. Galeri Efsun, Istanbul, Türkiye
February, Kšl. Jaarberus, Utrecht, Netherlands
May, Kšl. Turkish Cultural Center, Sarajevo, Bosnia
May–June, Kšl. Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, Istanbul, Türkiye
June, Kšl. Ćejvan – Ćehajin Hamam, Mostar, Bosnia
June, Kšl. Galeri Medrese, Konjic, Bosnia
September, Kar. Altunizade Cultural Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
September, Kar. Gutenberg Museum, Mainz, Germany
November, Kar. Wolfgang-Eychmüller-Haus Cultural Center, Vöhringen, Germany
November, Kar. Galeri Efsun, Istanbul, Türkiye
November, Kar. Yıldız Sarayı, Silahhane, Istanbul, Türkiye
2006
February, Kšl. Uludağ Yazıcı Hotel, Bursa, Türkiye
April, Kšl. Dâr-u’s Segâfe Cultural Center, Tétouan, Morocco
April, Kar. Sharjah Museum, Hat Bienale, Sharjah, UAE
May, Kšl. Friends House, London, United Kingdom
May, Kšl. Binders Jewelry Center, Talin, Estonia
August–September, Kar. Altunizade Cultural Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
September, Kar. CRR, Istanbul, Türkiye
September, Kar. Kervansaray Meeting, Malatya, Türkiye
October, Kšl. Mehmet Akif Ersoy Cultural Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
October, Kšl. Cultural Center Rabad, Morocco
October, Kšl. Amman City Gallery, Amman, Jordan
November, Kar. International Tourism and Handicrafts Conference, National Museum, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
November, Kšl. Mersin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mersin, Türkiye
December, Kšl. CRR, Istanbul, Türkiye
2007
January, Kar. International Muscat Festival, Muscat, Oman
March, Kšl. Slovenian Ethnographic Museum, Ljubljana, Slovenia
March, Kšl. Malay Heritage Center, Singapore
May, Kšl. Karasu, Adapazarı, Türkiye
May–June, Kar. Istanbul University, Istanbul, Türkiye
June, Kar. Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul, Türkiye
September, Kšl. Museum of Decorative Arts & Design, Riga, Latvia
September, Kšl. Lale Festival, Melbourne, Australia
October, Kšl. 1st International Antakya Biennial, Hatay, Türkiye
December, Kšl. Çırağan Palace Kempinski Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
2007–2008
December–January, Kar. 3rd International Kuwait Congress of Islamic Arts, Kuwait
December–January, Kšl. Çırağan Palace, Istanbul, Türkiye
2008
April, Kšl. Central School of Art, Karachi, Pakistan
April, Kšl. National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan
May, Kar. Art in Action, Dublin, Ireland
June, Kar. Tunis, Tunisia
September, Kšl. Vakıfbank Art Gallery, Ankara, Türkiye
October, Kšl. Küçükçekmece Cennet Culture and Art Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
2009
February, Kšl. National Academy of Art, Sofia, Bulgaria
February, Kšl. Dolmabahçe Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
March, Kar. Emporio Mediterraneo, Sardinia, Italy
March, Kšl. Sefaköy Cultural Center, Sefaköy, Türkiye
April, Kar. Dolmabahçe Art Gallery, Beşiktaş, Türkiye
May, Kšl. Çırağan Palace Kempinski Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
July, Kšl. 1302 Symposium on the Foundation of the Ottoman State, Yalova, Türkiye
2010
January, Kšl. 4th International Kuwait Congress of Islamic Arts, Kuwait
February, Kšl. Fatih Court, Istanbul, Türkiye
March, Kšl. Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, UAE
April, Kšl. Mardin Museum, Mardin, Türkiye
April–May, Kšl. Trakart Cultural Center, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
May, Kar. Chicago Turkish Festival, Chicago, USA
June, Kar. KAYMEK, Kayseri, Türkiye
November, Kšl. Bank Austria, Vienna, Austria
December, Kar. TBMM, Ankara, Türkiye
2011
January, Kšl. EPDK, Ankara, Türkiye
March, Kar. Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
April, Kšl. Stieglitz Museum of Applied Arts, St. Petersburg, Russia
April, Kšl. Halkalı Culture and Art Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
July, Kar. Art in Action, Oxford, United Kingdom
September, Kar. Dolmabahçe Art Gallery, Istanbul, Türkiye
October, Kar. Ümraniye Cultural Center, Istanbul, Türkiye
October, Kšl. Museu Da Imagem E Do Som, São Paulo, Brazil

Books Authored
Renklerin Sonsuzluğu, Yaşar Education and Culture Foundation (sponsor), 2000.
Suyun Renklerle Dansı, İSKİ Publications, 2000.
Suyun Rüyası Ebru, Ebristan Publications, 2001.
The Dream of Water: Ebru, Ebristan Publications, 2001.
Ebristanbul, Ebristan Publications, 2003.
Efsun Çiçeği, Ebristan Publications, 2003.
Siyah Beyaz Ebru, Ebristan Publications, 2005.
Simetri, Ebristan, 2006.
O’nun Şefkati, Universal Mercy, 2006.
Ebristan’dan Yeşerenler, Ebristan, 2007.
Türklerin Ebru Sanatı, Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye, 2007.
Battaldan Baruta Ebruvan, Üsküdar Municipality, 2008.
Ebrulî Mardin, Mardin Governorship, 2011.

Awards
In 2006, Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil received the 1st Silver Tulip Award. In 2012, he became the first and only Turkish artist to win the “BEST OF THE BEST” award at the Art in Action art festival organized by the London School of Economic Science. In 2017, he was honored with the Living Human Treasure Award. His works are permanently exhibited in renowned museums and collections worldwide, including the British Museum in London.

Hikmet Barutçugil with his 10-meter-long work awarded “Best of the Best” in 2012 (İthaf Sanat)
Honorary Doctorate
In 2016, Üsküdar University conferred an honorary doctorate upon the ebru master Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil.

Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Dr. Nevzat Tarhan and Ebru Master Ahmet Hikmet Barutçugil at the Honorary Doctorate Ceremony (Üsküdar News Agency)

Bibliographies

"Ithaf Sanat. 'Ebru sanatının 'Yaşayan İnsan Hazinesi' Hikmet Barutçugil.' Accessed May 16, 2025. https://www.ithafsanat.com/ebru-sanatinin-yasayan-insan-hazinesi-hikmet-barutcugil/"

"Turkey's Plane Trees," Hikmet Barutçugil, Diyanet Haber, 2024. Accessed May 16, 2025. https://www.diyanethaber.com.tr/turkiyenin-cinarlari-hikmet-barutcugil

Bağcılar Hikmet Barutçugil Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi. "Hikmet Barutçugil Kimdir?" Accessed May 16, 2025. https://bagcilarhbgsl.meb.k12.tr/icerikler/hikmet-barutcugil-kimdir_14758699.html

Diyanet TV. "Ebru Sanatı (Hikmet Barutçugil) - Yaşayan Hazineler 3. Bölüm." Accessed May 16, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUxYfTrUhss

Ebristan İstanbul Ebru Evi. "Detaylı Özgeçmiş." Accessed May 16, 2025. https://www.ebristan.com/destek/detayli_cv_tr.pdf

Ebristan İstanbul Ebru Evi. "Hikmet Barutçugil - Kısa Biyografi." Accessed May 16, 2025. https://www.ebristan.com/?s=10

Üsküdar University. "Ebru Sanatçısı Hikmet Barutçugil’e fahri doktora…" Üsküdar Haber Ajansı, 2016. Accessed May 16, 2025. https://uskudar.edu.tr/tr/icerik/1495/ebru-sanatcisi-hikmet-barutcugile-fahri-doktora#:~:text=%C3%9Csk%C3%BCdar%20%C3%9Cniversitesi%20senatosu%20taraf%C4%B1ndan%2C%20ebru,Barut%C3%A7ugil'e%20fahri%20doktora%20verildi.

Citations

[1]
KISALTMALAR:
KŞL.: KİŞİSEL
KAR.: KARMA

Author Information

AuthorNida ÖztürkmenDecember 1, 2025 at 8:45 AM

Year of Birth(Number)	1952
Place of Birth(Text)	Malatya / Türkiye
Profession(s)	Ebruzen / Artist
Education	Istanbul State Academy of Fine Arts
Awards Received	Art in Action BEST OF THE BEST Living Human Treasure Award 1st Silver Tulip Award
Yaş	73

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Childhood and Youth
Educational Background
Career and Achievements
- Career
- Exhibitions【1】
  - 1983
  - 1988
  - 1989
  - 1990
  - 1991
  - 1992
  - 1993
  - 1994
  - 1995
  - 1996
  - 1997
  - 1998
  - 1999
  - 2000
  - 2001
  - 2002
  - 2003
  - 2004
  - 2005
  - 2006
  - 2007
  - 2007–2008
  - 2008
  - 2009
  - 2010
  - 2011
- Books Authored
- Awards
- Honorary Doctorate

Childhood and Youth

Educational Background

Career and Achievements

Career

Exhibitions^【1】

1983

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2007–2008

2008

2009

2010

2011

Books Authored

Awards

Honorary Doctorate

Bibliographies

Citations

Author Information

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Discussions

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