ALI RIZA ÖZCAN

Dr. Ali Riza Ozcan serves as a Lecturer in the Department of Traditional Turkish Arts at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University's Faculty of Fine Arts, specializing in Calligraphy and Illumination. His career bridges academic scholarship with practical mastery of Ottoman-era writing systems and book arts.

His academic foundation includes:

• Licence in Traditional Turkish Arts (1984-1988), Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University
• Master's Degree in Illumination (1988-1991), Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Institute of Social Sciences
• Proficiency in Arts in Old Writing (1991-1996), Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University Institute of Social Sciences

Research focuses on Ottoman calligraphy (hat) and illumination (tezhip), with deep analysis of historical scripts, monumental inscriptions, and traditional crafts like ebru and bookbinding. His work examines 16th-17th century calligraphers, technical evolution of writing systems, and cultural contexts of Islamic visual arts, integrating historical methodology with artistic practice.

Publication trends reveal sustained engagement with Ottoman book arts across three decades. Recent works (2020-2023) investigate 17th century calligraphic lineages and Hagia Sophia's monumental inscriptions, while mid-career publications (2009-2015) explore illumination techniques and master calligraphers. The corpus consistently addresses technical precision, historical documentation, and cultural preservation within Turkish artistic heritage.