Do it Yourself: Kat'ı Art Workshop

Experience a 14th century art in a historical setting! Let the master teach you and catch a unique experience. Kat'i art is a unique art that dates back to the 14th century. Design your own work with a workshop that you can attend alone or with your partner on the historical Eminönü peninsula. At the end of the session, you can leave the place with your work that will remind you of that day. If you want to try something different in Istanbul, be a part of history and reserve your place.

*Event will last 1 hour. You can book a spot then we will contact you for the beginning of your workshop. Maximum 2 people can attend to each 1 hour workshop. The fee for a 1hour workshop is 40 Euros.

The word Kat means cutting in Arabic. Kat’ı, derived from this word, is a decorative art performed by carving a pattern from layers such as paper or leather. It is done by cutting out the shapes on a paper and sticking the hollowed out piece or the resulting piece onto another paper. Works made with Katı art are called “mukatta” and those who make them are called “katta”.

The oldest examples are works made using leather and date back to the 14th century. Paper works started to be seen from the 15th century onwards. It was widely used in the Ottomans from the beginning of the 16th century onwards and Turkish kaat works exhibited a unique development. Especially during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent (1520 - 1566), it was very popular.

Kaat examples, which began to attract great attention in Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, became a branch of art that became known worldwide when its technique was brought to Europe as a result of the interest of western travelers who were drawn to the East by the Orientalism movement.

Host or Publisher Bilge Art Sanat