Emin Altan
Narcissus - Once Upon a Time
The outer walls of the Kaaba like structure are covered in images of
disintegration. The visitor walking unaware around the structure seems to be
invited down a low lit corridor just past a inexplicable monitor. This dark
labyrinth is flooded with concepts that we are oftten unaware of shape and
direct our lives. Ordinary photographs of abandoned ships on the deserted
dried shores of Lake Aral appear to have become works of art when encased
in ornate frames. Quotes from Susan Sontag on the wall at the end of the
corridor shake the common value placed on photography. The labyrinth within
this world of images, opens to an expansive room. The photograph of a
rejected, consumed piece of nature covers the wall from end to end. The floor
is covered in handwriting dating back to 1844 explaining the estrangement of
man from himself. Marx lies under the visitors feet! The visitor moves between
dark walls through a narrow passage into a room. There is a spotlight on the
ceiling which lights up a fishbowl with one red fish in it. The only other
furniture in the room is a Maroken armchair. Philip Glass plays ‘The Thin Blue
Line – Hypnotic Time’ faintly in the background. On the wall there is a
photograph of a scrap car abandoned in nature and among the bush
there is a security camera, hardly visible. A sign in front of the fishbowl
indicates that the fish has not been fed since September 13th 2013 and has
been abandoned, left to die. The question is how will the visitor react to this.
There are no other exits from this room. The camera which appears to
be a security camera is actually a close captioned camera which is broadcast
on the monitor at the entrance where the visitor came in.
Biography
Born in 1962 in Çanakkale, Turkey, Emin Altan is a naval architect and
photographer living in Istanbul.
In 1996 he chose photography as a field of personal expression and produced
projects in search for creative presentation techniques. Altan opened personal
exhibitions at home and abroad and was honored with many awards and
degrees. Under IFSAK and the Photography Foundation, he initiated efforts to
promote meeting of young Turkish photographers and international
photography circles and also took part in international photography festival
organization teams. In 2002 he gave up photography.