Photography - Sıtkı Rıfat

Sıtkı Fırat was born in Kemaliye/Erzincan- Turkey. He was interested in photography art while he was studying at Gazi Institute of Education. He was impressed by Şinasi Barutçu, his teacher. He studied Photography and Business Education in Germany, where he was sent with the support of the state in 1966. In 1980, he established the Fıratcolor Color photography laboratory with his sons Aykut and Artuk. He traveled to more than 30 countries and held exhibitions. After his exhibitions, “Turkey” in Beijing in 1989 and “China” in Ankara, he was invited to China for a project on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the People’s Republic of China in 1999. His photographs were published in the book, “Focus on China”. Having over 100 exhibitions at home and abroad, Sıtkı Fırat was awarded the “International Turkish World Service Award” by TÜRKSAV in 1998, the “Doyen Artist of the Year” by International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP) in 2001, and the title of “Photography Artist of the Year” by the Ministry of Culture. Having many books on photography, he was also the owner of the “Culture and Arts Grand Award”. The great Master of Photography, Sıtkı Fırat, passed away on June 16, 2016.