Artist Statement
Cemil Batur Gökçeer's early photographic works concentrated on story telling with in regard to his long term experiences in conflicted areas in and around Turkey. During these early works (2004-2010) he had the chance to experience the conflict between the subject and its photographic representation, and was able to raise a critical approach against the current trends in documentary photography. This early period has led to his current photographic approach in which the representation of the subject became also a subject matter with its aesthetically and technical formations. During the period that he produced the series “Tangle” different experimentation over the photographic image was performed as reactions against ideas and feelings aroused from the encounters along his journey. This process has also become the basis for his further studies that he took during “Cave Albino”. Darkroom alterations or the flash usage became elements to create a sensation of the critical approach with in the photographic form. This critical approach; having parts of an economical and social debate over the subject matters of his projects, was also carrying an intuitional criticism through his acts as a photographer.
Personal Exhibitions
- “Tangle”, Torun, Ankara, Türkiye, 2012
Group Exhibitions
- "Island", European Borderlines Project Exhibition, Encontros de Imagem, Braga, Portugal, 2012
- "Island", European Borderlines Project Exhibition, Bursa Photofest,, Turkey, 2012
- "Tangle", 8th UFAT Photography Festival, Bursa, Turkey, 2012
- “Scratching numbers in the soil”, European Borderlines Project's 1st phase, ISSP group exhibition, Kuldiga, Latvia, 2011
- “Like an Unredeemed Promise”, Çankaya International Public Art Manifestation, Ankara, Turkey, 2011
- “Uneasy Freedom”, Chobi Mela V, International Festival of Photography, Bangladesh, 2009
- “Dilovasi”, Young Talents in Turkish Photography group exhibition, Istanbul, Ankara, Çanakkale, Bursa, Izmir, Turkey, 2007
- “Dilovasi”, Ulis International Photography Festival, Nazim Hikmet Culture Center, Istanbul, 2007
Publications
- "Cave Albino", Next 02, 19th Joop Swart Masterclass Book, 2012
- European Borderlines Project Book, 2012
- “Tangle”, GUP Magazine, Stories Issue, 2012
- “There is someone in the Garden”, Fotograf Notlari, 2011
- “Uneasy Freedom”, Fotograf Notlari, 2010
- “Dilovasi”, Genis Açi Magazine Young Talents in Turkish Photography Special Issue, 2007
Award & Grants
- Turkish Cultural Foundation, Cultural Exchange Grant, 2012
Residency & Masterclass
- Reflexions Masterclass, Italy, France, 2012-2013
- World Press Photo, Joop Swart Masterclass, Netherlands, 2012
- European Borderlines Project, Latvia, Portugal, Iceland, Turkey, 2011-2012
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