Burhan Doğançay, 1929-2013

Burhan Doğançay received his first training in art from his father, the painter Adil Doğançay, and the artist Arif Kaptan. He continued to study and practice art while simultaneously studying law at Ankara University, followed by a PhD in economics in Paris, which he completed in 1955.

Taking “human marks” as his point of departure, Doğançay duplicates these on his canvas and then intervenes in them as if he were one of the people who had created the marks. What particularly intrigues him about urban walls are the multiple layers of marks one finds on them; the messages that people from diverse social strata communicate to society using various materials and methods; and the unpredictable, corrosive effects that time and nature may have on their visual evidence. The appearance of urban walls changes constantly with brand advertisements, political posters, the contributions of graffiti artists and others, and official censoring efforts to cover things up. Doğançay is fascinated by conflict and communication attempts among everyday individuals, establishment institutions, the physical structure of the city, and nature. This is why his art is more emotional, social, and political than abstract.

“Magnificent Era”, together with “Symphony in Blue” and “Mimar Sinan” from his “Cones” series, are among Doğançay’s most accomplished works. The paintings are on walls and directly reflect society’s relationship with the city. They were exhibited side by side for the first time at the 1st Istanbul Biennial. Drawing on images of traditional Ottoman arts and sultans found in newspapers and magazines, the artist creates dynamic and textured surface compositions.