Eczacıbaşı exploited neither the timeless allure of black and white photography nor the eye- catching 'enticement' of poverty. On the contrary, motion provided the impetus - and the creative vortex - that gave life to his photographs. Even in the stillest moments, when inanimate objects themselves appear to be posing for the camera, Şakir Eczacıbaşı's purpose has always been to remind us of the ebb and flow of time.
It is not only his huge collection of work that Ara Güler will leave us. I am at once reminded of the question that Ara Güler often asks when the subject is our attitude towards life or the production of art. The meaning of this question has an important function in today's world, apart from helping us to understand the work and mission of Ara Güler and his peers. To put it simply: this question provides an important benchmark to all of us for understanding where and how we live and comprehending the art of our times, Therefore, let us repeat the question in his own words: "My son, has this made a contribution to civilization?"
Ozan Sağdıç has diligently established a photographic panorama running uninterruptedly for 60 years from mid- 1950's until today and shared with the viewers many masterpieces that can be said to have laid the foundations of contemporary photography in Turkey. Ozan Sağdıç is one of the most important photographers who are associated with Turkey's landscape, and able to express their positive relationship with this geography on the visual plane, who don't question but always listen, and who stand as a model for new photographers just setting off on their careers.
A bird's eye view at the history of photography in Turkey revealed, up until 15 years ago, Sami Güner as the foremost popular photographer. His name would be the first to come to mind. What photographic sight and photographer's stand created all these long- winding paths to the name of Sami Güner as the representative of a grand tradition?
Sabit Kalfagil is an artist who has never given up exploring the limits of all that can be done with a camera in this universe. He has immersed himself in this endeavor since the early 1960s, resolutely applying the photographic principles he believed in. He has travelled across the lands of his country - his permanent home- and transformed the moments he witnessed into photographs, not once averting his eyes from reality.
Today, İzzet Keribar is among the best known, most senior and most popular photographers of Turkey. His absolute dedication to photography, his utter respect for nature, life, history and geography, and his love of humanity are the major reasons for his success and popularity. Thinking of him merely as a photographer doesn't do justice to his humanism, which he extends to the entire universe, nor to the depth of his culture, and his peaceful personality.
Ersin Alok has dedicated his whole life to photography. The time he spends on research and preliminary preparations, and the architectural discipline he applies to his practice offer the key to the mystery of his photos... Ersin Alok has been able to fuse his positive thinking and lyrical spirit with photography -one of the most magical practices in the universe- making it his mission to transmit this spirit to us and allowing us to look at nature and humanity through a different pair of eyes.
Yıldız Moran is like a majestic mountain in the history of Turkish Photography covering the Republican Period. In order to appreciate her sublimity and truly comprehend the scope of her merits, one needs to look closely at her life and her works. Moran's photographs have the power to transport the onlookers into the magical atmosphere of a mountain tale. Turkish Photographic Art owes Moran a great debt of gratitude for teaching its practitioners an alternative language imbued with a profound love for humanity.
Ergun Çağatay's photography is an advanced continuation of the ancient photo-interview tradition. All the changes in this fast-paced world, disasters, instabilities and cultural mosaics attract photographers into the field because they are, by nature, single-mindedly passionate about recording all of it in the annals of history. That extremely brief moment those photographers condense into a frame not only reflects their world vision and philosophy but also transmits profound messages to those reading it in times to come.
İbrahim Zaman's perception of the world is less academic than intuitive, almost naïve in its approach. It has been filtered through a myriad of life experiences and is therefore acutely genuine. While İbrahim Zaman combines the mechanical workings of photography with his own aesthetic vision, he assigns the role of the protagonist to the light, which serves to anchor moments within the flow of time. And when life meets Zaman, "life" happens.
I tremble with nervousness when I'm taking the portrait of a writer. I approach them with tremendous joy, respect, and excitement. Without fail, I read their works before taking a photograph. I approach them knowing them. (...) I can't stop death, but I can challenge death by stopping time. I do this on the faces of the writers, This is my great passion.
The main theme of Tuvi's photographs is the human, the human that injects spaces with meaning and breathes soul into time. Yusuf Tuvi is in constant contact with humans. He sees people, he approaches them, and he wants people to see him. It doesn't matter where he is in the world; he can be in Turkey or some other country. He doesn't need language; he doesn't need to talk. The translation skills of a camera prove quite sufficient for both parties.