The underlying thread in Topçuoglu’s work is a constant preoccupation with time, memory and loss. The Turkish artist worries about the transience of people and things in general, and tries to reconstruct unclear and imperfect images of an idealized past.

Such an attempt inevitably requires the ability to recapture past, hence his constant art-historical references to classic paintings and photographs as well as to authors such as Proust and Thomas Mann.

Another aspect in his work is his pre-occupation with the contradicting positions of women in Turkey. When employing the representations of youth as imagery, one has to deal with the issues of gender roles and male gaze. In these photographs, a respectful stance towards the female has been taken. The subjectification of the female youth as a gender-free ideal, inevitably involves her intelligence, beauty, energy, and struggle.

Nazif Topçuoglu has completed two Masters degrees, in Photography (the Institute of Design, Chicago ) and in Architecture (MEU, Ankara). Exhibited widely and held teaching positions at various universities in Turkey. He writes regularly on the history and criticism of photography, and has published three books on the subject. Occasionally does advertising and editorial work.

Collections

Boghossian Foundation, Belgium
Salsali Private Museum, Dubai, UAE
JPMorgan Chase, USA
Marion and Guy Naggar, London, UK
Schürmann, Germany
Sema and Barbaros Çaga, Istanbul
Fotocollectie Hoboken Erasmus University,
Rotterdam, Netherlands