Yurdaer Altıntaş

In 2009, he was elected a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale / International Graphics Association).
Altıntaş, who became a professor in 1995, was appointed head of the Graphic Design Department at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in 1996 and a member of the university's board of directors in 2001. He retired from the same university in 2002. Until recently, he continued to contribute to graphic design education at Istanbul Culture University and Işık University. In 1996, he organized an international invited poster exhibition to celebrate his 60th birthday. Altıntaş's works are included in various museums and archives around the world. In 2011, his sixty years of work were exhibited at the 21st International Istanbul Art Fair, and he received the Artist Honorary Award. Yurdaer Altıntaş passed away in Istanbul in 2019. The artist's works have been accepted into our museum through donation.

Artistic Perspective;
Altıntaş's understanding of art is based on the idea that graphic design is not only an aesthetic field but also a tool for communication, culture, and the transmission of ideas. The basic characteristics of his artistic approach are:
• Establishment of a clear and powerful visual language
• Integration of typography with visual form
• Conveying the message with visual simplicity
• Conceptual thinking in poster design
Altıntaş adopted the "economy of expression" approach in graphic design; he preferred strong symbolic expression instead of unnecessary visual density.

Style and Technical Characteristics;
The artist's works feature:
• Strong typographic arrangement
• Minimal but effective visual composition
• Symbolic expression in poster design
• Balance between graphics and text
These are the prominent characteristics.
His works, produced since the 1950s, have contributed to the formation of the modern graphic design language in Turkey. His design output between 1952 and 2011 has been the subject of comprehensive catalogs.

Personal and Group Exhibitions;
Altıntaş has made his graphic design production visible through both solo exhibitions and international group exhibitions.
Notable exhibition and event examples:
• Representation of Turkey in international graphic design events
• Poster exhibitions and retrospective selections
• Exhibitions in university and institutional galleries
In 2015, as part of the events organized for his 80th birthday, more than 40 of the artist's posters were exhibited along with works by designers from 26 countries.

He has also participated in design exhibitions addressing the development of late 20th-century Turkish graphic design.

Exhibition / Work Chronology;

Early Period (1950s – 1960s)
• Beginning of graphic design and poster production
• Poster designs for cultural, theatrical, and art events
• The period when the modern graphic language began to spread in Turkey
Middle Period (1970s – 1990s)
• Graphic design education and academic production
• Corporate identity, publication design, and poster production
• Interaction with international design circles
Maturity Period (2000s – 2010s)
• Retrospective exhibitions
• Emergence of the educator identity
• Archival and publication works contributing to the history of graphic design

His Place in the History of Turkish Visual Arts and Graphic Design;
Yurdaer Altıntaş is an important milestone figure in the modernization process of the graphic design discipline in Turkey.
His importance from an art historical perspective:
Formation of the Modern Graphic Design Language
He contributed to the development of contemporary poster design in Turkey.
Academic Graphic Design Education
He contributed to the institutionalization of graphic design at the university level. International Representation
He is among the designers who represent Turkish graphic design on international platforms.

General Assessment;
Yurdaer Altıntaş:
• He is among the pioneering generation of Turkish graphic design history.
• He has made institutional contributions to graphic design education.
• He is known for his strong conceptual approach in poster design.
• He has strengthened the cultural dimension of visual communication design.
He is considered among the artists who played an important role in the development of graphic design in Turkey at the intersection of art, communication and culture fields.