.about
.a half-century behind the lens
Orhan Alptürk (1953-2022) is a Turkish photographer, educator, and theorist working in the field of conceptual and experimental photography.
He graduated from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering at Istanbul Technical University in 1975. In the early years of his career, he took part in the establishment of TRT İzmir Television. From the 1980s onward, Alptürk focused on photographic production, developing a practice that diverged from Türkiye’s dominant documentary tradition. Instead, he approached photography as a medium for visual thinking and conceptual expression.
For many years, he taught courses on photographic theory, visual perception, and contemporary photographic practices at various institutions, particularly at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Fine Arts. Through his role as an educator, he has made significant contributions to the development of contemporary photographic thought in Türkiye.
His works have been exhibited both in Türkiye. and internationally, and his writings and projects on photography have been referenced in academic studies.
.artist statement
Photography is not a simple record of reality. The image is a means of reconstructing the world and generating meaning.
Orhan Alptürk’s photographic practice has evolved as a field of inquiry that questions the reality represented by the image. He considers photography not merely as a recording tool, but as a structure that produces visual thought.
In his work, everyday objects, empty spaces, and minimal compositions are often used to construct metaphors related to the human condition. Rather than telling a direct story, his photographs establish an open relationship with the viewer; meaning emerges through the encounter between the image and the observer.
This approach questions the ways in which photography represents reality, while also drawing attention to the relationship between image, memory, time, and experience.
.approach
Orhan Alptürk’s work can be situated within the tradition of conceptual photography in türkiye.
Key characteristics of his practice include:
- Predominantly black-and-white photography
- A minimalist compositional approach
- Symbolic use of objects
- Staging and visual construction
- Themes of emptiness and solitude
- Exploration of existence, memory, and representation
This approach transforms photography from a purely aesthetic medium into a field of intellectual and philosophical inquiry.
.selected series
the artist’s production is largely developed through conceptual photographic series.
Selected series include:
.40 stories .other seas .postcard bodies .dream breaker .stolen portraits .bride .reproach .lost landscapes .violence .echoes .non space
In these and other series, photography often functions as a narrative structure, where objects are transformed into visual elements carrying metaphorical meaning.
.publications
1990
40 Stories - Photography book
.academic career
1983 - 2016
He taught photography and visual culture at various institutions, primarily at Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Fine Arts.
Courses included: .Photographic Theory .Visual Perception .Philosophy of the Image .Contemporary Photographic Practices