The Ancient Art of Painting on Water

Garip Ay’s paintings come to life in the most extraordinary way. The Turkish artist uses an ancient technique called ebru, or marbling. He drops and flicks dyes onto water treated with a wetting agent that keeps the pigment from sinking. Then he swirls and shapes the vibrant colors into images that spring from his imagination. It takes a deft hand and special handmade tools to paint this way. Ay invites us into his studio in Istanbul to watch him create.