2025 - MA at the Central University European, Zeynep Reyhan Özkan
Reyhan is undertaking a two-year master’s program in Historical Studies at CEU. Her research examines the exhibition of Islamic objects in Vienna at the turn of the 20th century. During this period, museums were still in their early stages, and the 1873 Vienna World’s Fair showcased participants from the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Morocco, Iran, and Tunisia, all presenting themselves through their objects. My study will explore how these objects were positioned within exhibition spaces at a time of increasing interest in non-Western artifacts. While research on Islamic art in museums has been conducted, particularly concerning the UK and Germany, Vienna—despite its rich archival resources—has been largely overlooked, making my research even more exciting. In this context, Reyhan’s goal is not just to rely on Western sources but to critically engage with the essence of Islamic art itself.
