Çerkes Karadağ

From 1989 onwards, he collected his own artistic works in photo albums that he published one after another. From 2000 onwards, he started publishing theoretical books that he prepared on the art of photography, the language of vision and aesthetics. Under the title of “Cities and Images”, he photographed many cities such as Prague, Budapest, Mersin/Mut, Gaziantep, Ankara, Bursa, Lefkoşa and İzmir. His artistic works and photographs were the subject of the works of many Turkish poets, writers, painters and ceramicists. From 1980 onwards, he photographed “Living Folk Poets” and later Ankara’s well-known artists, thinkers, scientists and politicians. During his professional photography career, he became known as a photographer who specialized in political promotion and portraits of politicians. He put an end to his professional photography work, which he continued until 2005, and moved to Istanbul.

Throughout his artistic career, he taught photography, advertising photography and studio photography at Süleyman Demirel, Yeditepe, Yakın Doğu, Doğuş University, Ankara Olgunlaşma Enstitüsü and Işık University, primarily at Hacettepe. He has participated in many book fairs and met with his readers at book signings. Some of his theoretical books have been translated into English and published by Amazon and offered for sale in many countries around the world. He is currently working on completing his theoretical photography collection in his studio in Istanbul, in addition to his painting and photography works. He participates in the events of many art associations and art organizations as a panelist, jury member and as a talker.

Public Services:
1978-1979- Ministry of Culture, Directorate of Promotion and Publications, civil servant
1979-1983- Ministry of Culture, Directorate of Cinema, civil servant
1983-1987- Ministry of Culture, General Directorate of Fine Arts, Film Inspection Board member

Universities and Associations Where He Gave Photography Education:
1980-1993- AFSAD basic photography courses
1996-1997- Süleyman Demirel University, Faculty of Fine Arts
2000-2003- Hacettepe University, Faculty of Fine Arts
2001-2002- Ankara Maturation Institute
1995-2001- Photographic Art Institution workshop project manager
2004-2005- Yeditepe University, Faculty of Fine Arts
2007-2009- Doğuş University, Faculty of Art and Design
2008-2009- Near East University
2010 -2020 Yeditepe and Işık University

Magazines he worked for:
1972- DOST (Literature magazine)
1972- STAGE (Culture magazine)
1973- FOLKLORIES (ODTÜ Folklore Society Publication)
1978- NATIONAL CULTURE (Ministry of Culture Publication)
1979- TRANSLATION (Ministry of Culture Publication)
1977- PHOTOGRAPHY (AFSAD Publication, first version)
1984- PHOTOGRAPHY (AFSAD Publication, second version)
1981- VIEW (AFSAD Publication)
1995- ART OF PHOTOGRAPHY (Photography Art Institution Publication)
1997- ANKARA ART GUIDE
2006- PHOTOSHOP MAGAZINE
2008- SCHIZOPHRENIC HUMOR MAGAZINE
He worked as a proofreader, graphic artist, technical manager, editorial board member and writer in the above mentioned magazines.

Newspapers he worked for:
1975-1978- He worked as a montage, pickup and darkroom technician in the Ankara offices of HÜRRİYET, EXPRES, YENİGÜN and ULUS newspapers. He worked as a night secretary in the Editorial Department.
1995-1996 He wrote portrait articles under the title “Faces I Know” in SİYAH-BEYAZ Newspaper.
2005- He wrote photography articles in RADİKAL Newspaper.

Art Associations he is a member of:
AFSAD/Ankara Photographers Association
FSK/Photography Art Institution-Founding Member
GESAM/Fine Art Works Professional Association
ART INSTITUTION FIAP/International Federation of Photographic Art
FOTOGEN

Publications About Him: To date, many news, interviews, documentaries and talks about his artistic works have been published in Turkey's important art magazines, local and national newspapers, private radio and TV channels. Many TV channels, especially TRT1, have prepared promotional programs and documentaries about him and his artistic works at different times. Many poets, writers and journalists have written articles about his artistic identity, photographs and books. He has been shown among the important names of contemporary Turkish photography on the official websites of the Prime Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, some Turkish Embassies and the General Directorate of Press and Publication.

His Works in Domestic and International Collections:
- Ankara Painting and Sculpture Museum Collection

(Painting and Photography)
- Denmark National Photography Federation Library
- France National Photography Collection
- Romanian Photography Federation Collection
- Yugoslavia State Theatres Collection
- Private Museum Collection in Germany, Bavaria
- Academia Akcan Music Academy Collection-ANKARA
- Elgiz Contemporary Arts Museum-ISTANBUL
- Leyla Alaton Collection
- Ömer Koç Collection

Encyclopedias and Reference Sources That Include Him:
- Photography in Turkey, Engin Özendes
- Turkish Plastic Artists Encyclopedia, Kaya Özsezgin
- Meydan Laurousse
- Who’s Who / Who’s Who
- 101 Compositions and 101 Comments in Turkish Photography, Gültekin Çizgen

Domestic Personal Exhibitions:
-1978- Watercolor Exhibition, French Culture Center-ANKARA 1980
- Watercolor exhibition, Art Institution-ANKARA 1985
- Photo exhibition, White-black/Black-Whites, State Gallery-ANKARA,
- Photo exhibition, White-black/Black-Whites Atatürk Cultural Center-ISTANBUL 1986
- Color photographs, Oluşum Art House-ANKARA,
- Color photographs, Atölye Çizgi-ISTANBUL 1989
- Photo exhibition, Nuance, German Cultural Center-ANKARA,
- Photo exhibition, Nuance, REFO Art Gallery-ISTANBUL 1989
- Sections from the History of Photography, AFSAD Exhibition Hall-ANKARA 1995
- Photo exhibition, Faces I Know, Dost Art Gallery-ANKARA,
- Photo exhibition, Faces I Know,Tayyare Cultural Center-BURSA 1997
- Baleylim, Ada Art Gallery-ANKARA 2000
- Circassian Karadag Collection Exhibition, Zerdusht Art Gallery-ANKARA 2003
- Photograph exhibition, The Other Face, Karaca Art Gallery-ANKARA, 2004
- Photograph exhibition, The Other Face Istanbul Photography Center-ANKARA 2004
- Photograph exhibition, Baleylim, AKADEMI AKCAN-ANKARA, 2004
- Photograph exhibition, The Other Face, State Gallery-EDIRNE,
- Photograph exhibition, The Other Face, Tayyare Culture Center- BURSA,
- Photograph exhibition, The Other Face, Canon Erkayalar Photograph Gallery-IZMIR 2005
- Photograph exhibition, The Other Face, KOCAELI.,
- Photograph exhibition, Baleylim, Artist Art Gallery-Istanbul 2005
- Photograph exhibition, Living Gaziantep, Sanko Art Gallery-GAZIANTEP 2006
- Photograph exhibition, Skin Stories, Mac Art Art Gallery-ISTANBUL 2007
- Photograph exhibition, 9 Stories, Artist Art Gallery-ISTANBUL 2008
- Photograph exhibition, Baleylim, Ege University Art Gallery- IZMIR 2010
- Painting exhibition, Wet Lights, Artbosphorus Art Fair- ISTANBUL 2010
- Photograph exhibition, Photographs Without Objects RH+ Art Gallery- ISTANBUL 2010
- Painting exhibition, BEYOĞLU: A Rush…Pür Rush!, Artgalerim Art Gallery- ISTANBUL
- Photograph exhibition, NATURLİFE, Portakal Çiçeği Art Gallery, ANKARA.
- Photo Exhibition, PORTRAITS, ANAFOD 2015-16 YEAR EXHIBITION
- Photo Exhibition, NATURLIFE, BEŞİKTAŞ INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY DAYS
- Photo Exhibition, NATURLIFE, Işık University Gallery, ISTANBUL.
- Picture Exhibition, SEQUENCES, POMART Art Gallery ISTANBUL
- Photo Exhibition, BEING IDENTITY and NOTHINGNESS, POMART Art Gallery ISTANBUL
- Photo Exhibition, 100 OF İZMİR İZMİR 2023
- Photo Exhibition, ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL 2023
- Picture Exhibition, SEQUENCES, NUROL Art Gallery ANKARA
- Photo Exhibition, ARTCONTACT ISTANBUL 2024

Solo Exhibitions Abroad:

1989- Photograph exhibition, Nuance, under the auspices of Ankara German Cultural Center, Mannheim Abentakademie-GERMANY (repeated in Heidelberg and other cities.) 1995
- Photograph exhibition, FACES I KNOW, under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Expolange Fair and Exhibition Center, Paris-FRANCE

International Competitions Participated:

1984- 10th International Fotosalon Sobeka-BELGIUM
1984- 12th FIAP Color Print Biennial Turkey-TURKEY
1985- VII Biennal de Fotografia Europa-SPAIN
1985- Birkenhead International Colour Salon-ENGLAND
1985- INTERDIA’85 9.Weltcup in Color-GERMANY
1986- Eleventh Smethwick Colour International Exhibition-ENGLAND
1986- Yıldız University International Photography Competition-TURKEY
1986- Le Theatre dans L’art Photographique 8 Triennale Internationale-YUGOSLAVIA
1988- 7 Semaine Internationale de Diapositives Coulours-FRANCE
1988- 5th Istanbul International Exhibition of Photography-TURKEY
1988- 19th International Salon of Photography Art Nude Figure Studies and Portrait “VENUS 88”-POLAND
1989- Birkenhead International Colour Salon-ENGLAND
1989- 37th Worcestershire International Exhibition of Colour Photography-ENGLAND
1989- Fourteenth Smethwick Colour International Exhibition-ENGLAND
1989- Le Theatre dans L’art Photographique 9 Trienale Internationale-YUGOSLAVIA 1989- Anatolian Art Center International Exhibition of Photography-TURKEY
1989- 1st Istanbul International Exhibition of Photography-TURKEY
1989- 1st International Photocompetition about “HORSES” Hungarian-HUNGARY 1991- 4eme Festival de la Photographie d’Aix-en-Provence-FRANCE
In addition to the above mentioned countries,
- International mixed exhibitions in Spain, USA, Italy, Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, TRNC and Romania;
- International exhibition organized by the French Ministry of Culture under the name “Identites Mediterraneennes”
(His photographs were exhibited in countries surrounding the Mediterranean and some Arab countries.)

Awards:
He won awards in different branches of art such as story, painting, scenario and photography since his early youth. Some of these that he considered important:
1969- Turkey Inter-High School Story Competition-Award
1973- Tasvir Newspaper Story Competition-Award
1977- DYO Painting Competition, Honorary Award
1977- HEY Magazine Art Calendar, Award
1977- Ankara Art Exhibitions/ Painting, Award
1977- Ankara Art Exhibitions/ Photography, Award
1978- Foresters Society, Award
1986- 6th State Photography Competition, Award
1986- Le Theatre dans L’art Photographique 8 Triennale Internationale, Silver Medal-YUGOSLAVIA
1989- Birkenhead International Colour Salon, Honorable Mention, ENGLAND 1986- Ministry of Culture State Screenplay Competition, “A Lonely Monument”, Honorable Mention
1987- International Nasreddin Hodja Photography Competition, Award
1989- İFSAK International Photography Competition, İFOD Award

Honorary Awards and Medals Presented to Him:
1990- FIAP/ International Federation of Photographic Art, AFIAP “Artist of FIAP” title
2000- Czech Republic State Medal of Honor
2004- 2004 art season İFSAK photographer of the year
2018- LIONS SPECIAL SERVICE AWARD, ISTANBUL.
2018- ISTANBUL BEŞİKTAŞ INTERNATIONAL PHOTO FESTIVAL GUEST OF HONOR
2022- 15 APRIL WORLD ART DAY HONORARY AWARD.
2022- ORONTES 7TH INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FESTIVAL PHOTO AWARD.
2024- FOTOGEN HONORARY MEMBERSHIP
2024- TROY CULTURE AND ART AWARDS- PHOTOGRAPHY

Published Books:
Photo Albums:

NUANS, Dost Kitabevi Publications, Turkish-English, Ankara, 1989 •
FACES I KNOW, Black and White Portraits / Ministry of Culture and Tourism Publications, Turkish-English, Ankara 1995 •
BALEYLIM, A Photographic Study on Ballet / Doruk Publications, Turkish-Eng., Ankara, 1997
MAGICAL PRAGUE / MAGIC PRAGUE, İş Bankası Publications, Turkish-English, Ankara, 2000 •
SKIN STORIES, Mac Art Gallery, Turkish-English, Istanbul, 2006 •
NATURLIFE, Portakal Çiçeği Publications, Istanbul, 2013
100 OF İZMİR, Folkart Publications, Izmir 2022

Theoretical Books:
SO-CALLED PHOTOGRAPHY Aphorisms / Imge Bookstore Publications, Ankara, 2000. •
CULTURE OF SIGHT Book 1, Universe of Images / Doruk Publications, Istanbul, 2004 •
CULTURE OF SIGHT Book 2, The Magician of Images / Doruk Publications, Istanbul, 2004 •
CULTURE OF SIGHT Book 3, The Deep Meaning of Photography / Doruk Publications, Istanbul, 2004 •
DIALOGUES WITH THE PHOTOGRAPHER / Doruk Publications, Istanbul, 2004 •
CREATIVE IMAGE SERIES I / What is Photography?, Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016 •
CREATIVE IMAGE SERIES II / Camera View, / Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016 •
CREATIVE IMAGE SERIES III / Century of Photography, Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016. •
VIEW CULTURE SERIES I / Universe of Images, Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016. •
VIEW CULTURE SERIES II / The Magician of Images, Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016. •
VIEW CULTURE SERIES III / The Deep Meaning of Photography, Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016.
SO-CALLED PHOTOGRAPHY Aphorisms / Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016.

Literature:
OTHER FACE Portrait writings / Portrait photographs / Doruk Publishing House, Istanbul, 2004. •
OTHER FACE Portrait writings / Portrait photographs / Öteki Publishing House, Istanbul, 2016.

Exhibition Catalogues:
BALEYLIM / 9 Eylül University Publications, Izmir 2008. •
BEYOĞLU: A rush... Pure Rush / Artgalerim Publications, Istanbul, 2010
OBJECTLESS PHOTOGRAPHS / Rh Art Gallery, İŞTANBUL, 2010

English Theoretical Books:
The Universe of Images (The Culture of Vision Series Book 1)
The Image Magician (The Culture of Vision Series Book 2)
The Depth Meaning of Photography (The Culture of Vision Series Book 3)
Dialogues with Photographers: Propositions and Aphorisms What is Photography (Creative Photography Series Book 1)

Other Publications:
PAINTING SCULPTURE MUSEUM BOOK, Ministry of Culture Publications, Ankara, 1993
EARLY PERIOD ARTISTS, Ministry of Culture Publications, Ankara, 1993
A LONELY MONUMENT / Ishak Paşa Palace- Documentary Scenario Ministry of Culture Award, 1986

Published Prepared Photo Albums:
Cities-Images Series:

1- MONOTON STORIES – ANKARA
2- OBJECTLESS PHOTOGRAPHS – BURSA
3- DOORS CLOSED – NICOSIA
4- EASTERN PHOTOGRAPHS – an old poem
5- SKIN COLORED STORIES – nude photographs