About Artist
Photography, since invented has become a powerful instrument not only for the manifestation of visual images but as a ‘language’ for communication between things, places and people. In this regard, Kamil Fırat (taking photographs since the 70’s) uses this ‘language’ in utmost plainness yet creativity when showing (revealing in a way) and relating his photographic tales to viewers while enabling the perception of the issues from his perspective and interpretation of the world around us. The cultural depth and sense of history in his works attribute to the display of certain individual and social moments and memories. We see striking examples of this in the 'ROAD' series, which will be exhibited for the first time on February 27 at G-art Gallery. The exhibition starts with black and white photographs which continues and ends with surprisingly innovative techniques such as layers of colorings thus showing a process of content and aesthetics. We’re eventually drawn into the realm of a certain cinematographic narrative in Kamil Fırat’s works.
The artist describes the ‘YOL’ / ‘ROAD’ series in his own words as follows:
The road is the gap in the middle of the "environment" that tells me about me, always reminds me of me, and allows me to come to terms with myself.
That's why the "road" is the biggest witness while wandering around.
That's why, for a very long time, "the road" has been a "history keeper" in dealing with modern times. While doing this, it may be a "black box" that will never be opened.
Quiet, unquestioning and uncalculated... Sometimes it shakes you so that you only hear what the "environment" say.
There is no such thing as “where the road leads”. There are only gaps in the environment.
And in fact, the increase of roads means the disappearance of the “environment”.
Therefore the road; It is falling in love with the one who destroys us.
This exhibition is the road's testimony to the "environment" that is gradually being taken away from us.
With this “environment” and “landscape” that the artist implies to, it allows us to produce new thoughts about our cultural concerns, political realities and social parables. After all, Kamil Fırat, who was born in these lands, has a soul shaped by the knowledge and culture of this land, is one of those who care about these lands and has something to say to make these lands more enjoyable, tells us these with photographs:
Do we worry enough about the “environment that has been taken away from us” to make the world better?
Who is Kamil Fırat?
Kamil Fırat has been working on photography and art theories since 1980.
Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Department of Photography, Lecturer
2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 Bursa International Photography Festival Curator.
Personal Exhibitions
Istanbul Kare Art Gallery “SUBJECT:HİLMİ YAVUZ” (1996), Museum Bochum-
Germany “CAPPADOCIA” (1996), Stedelijke Academie voor Beeldende Kunsten Berchem-Belgium “CAPPADOCIA” (1996), Istanbul Painting and Sculpture Museum “SHORE” (2002), Istanbul Tophane-i Amire Cultural Center “DOME” (2003), Istanbul Karşı Art Gallery “PANDORA/DA” (2005), Ghar El Melh Tunisia “DOME, (2006), Istanbul G-Art Gallery “ABOUT THE HORIZON” (2007), Istanbul Kare Art Gallery "ROOT" (2007), Istanbul G-Art Gallery “SUNFLOWER-REMAINING” (2008), İstanbul Fotografevi “THE CITY FALL…ED”, Istanbul G-Art Gallery “STONE FACES” (2011), Hamam Gallery, Prizren Kosova, “[Jr.]” (2011), Istanbul Karşı Art Gallery “[Jr]” (2012), Istanbul Tophane-i Amire Cultural Center “Sky, Dome / Emptiness” (2016), Milli Reasürans Art Gallery “Horses & Cities” (2017), Mumbai University “Heaven, Dome / Void”. “Architecture Sinan”(2017), Kare Art Gallery “Letters” (2018), New Mexico, Museo Nacional de las Culturas del Mundo “La luz de Anatolia” (2018-2019), Antalya Plus Gallery “Leaf” (2019-2020)
Published Books:
Photo Albums
ATLAR (1989), KIRKPINAR OIL WRESTLING (1994), CAPPADOCIA (1996), Subject: HİLMİ YAVUZ (1997), PROPELLER (2000), SHORE (2003), DOME (2004), PANDORA/DA (2005), SUNFLOWER-REMAINING (2007), 1994 (2007), DREAM CITIES (2008), ROOT (2008), ADATEPE (2009) STONE FACES (2011), SMYRNA (2013) TOUCHING THE EAST (2015), SKY, DOME / VOID, MIMAR SINAN (2016), HORSES & CITIES (2017)
Historical Research (Book)
PAST TIME BOOKS (History of Mimar Sinan University) (2008), OTTOMAN-FRANCE RELATIONS VIA YILDIZ PALACE PHOTO COLLECTION (2017), OTTOMAN GERMANY RELATIONS (2017), OTTOMAN BRITISH RELATIONS (2018), OTTOMAN AMERICAN RELATIONS (2018), LOOKING AT TSARIST RUSSIA (2019), LOOKING AT 19TH CENTURY JAPAN (2019), LOOKING AT 19TH CENTURY JORDAN(2020), ADATEPE VILLAGE IN OTTOMAN DOCUMENTS (2020), KARABÜK IRON STEEL FACTORY (2022)
Storybook
Horses & Citties (2017)
Space Arrangement
Centennial Brands Association HAFIZAEVİ /Sultanahmet Design and Curator