Dursunali SARIKOÇ

I was born in the Petekli village of Trabzon in September 1951. I guess that's why I have an extreme passion for green and the Black Sea. Since my father was abroad, I spent my childhood with my grandfather. Those years were a childhood full of fun and joy in green hazelnut and tea gardens. Since I learned to read and write before I reached school age, my primary school teacher in the village thought I was a successful child and enrolled me in the second grade.

My father was abroad in Ankara in those years. He was engaged in construction work and was making efforts to save money and reunite the family in Ankara. After graduating from primary school, I came to Ankara with my father to continue my education. At that time, my father was living in a small shanty house in Çankaya that he had built. I can say that I spent my youth here.

I studied middle school in Ayrancı Secondary School and high school in Çankaya High School. In my school years, I loved to paint and I had a great interest in painting. When my art teacher hung the pictures I made on the walls of the school, the world was mine and my self-confidence increased even more and these successes led me to new searches. Over time, my interest in painting turned to photography. I bought myself a compact camera by the brand BERIETTA with my pocket money that I had unknowingly saved from my family, and I started taking photographs in 1971.

The times when I went to take pictures while escaping from school were getting more frequent. I used to spend my extra pocket money on photography-related magazines, books and newspapers in order to improve and raise myself. Later, I learned that IFSAK was organizing a photography contest on "Children and Play" and I decided to participate in this contest. I prepared my photos with great excitement and submitted them to the competition. When the results of the competition came, I learned that one of my photos was deemed worthy of display and I was very happy. Even though they once tried to prevent me from taking photos, now my family knew and accepted my love of photography.

I went to Istanbul to attend the opening of the competition exhibition. My little world was starting to get bigger. There I met Mehmet Bayhan, one of the masters of photography. In the midst of our conversations about photography, I asked him if such associations existed in Ankara. When I said that they are working on the establishment of an association, even the dream of being together with photography masters added excitement to my excitement.

Later, I learned that Ankara Photography Artists Association (AFSAD) was established. I shouldn't have waited. I immediately went and applied for membership and on June 2, 1977, I was registered as member number 16.

I continued my photography work for many years by working in various units at AFSAD. I took part in the Boards of Directors, Advisory Boards and the Editorial Board of the "Photography Magazine" published by AFSAD. Between 1989 and 1992, I was the President of AFSAD for three years.

I took part in the Photography Associations Working Board (FDÇK), which was formed with the aim of establishing the Photographic Art Federation in Turkey and by the gathering of Photography Associations. As a result of the studies carried out later, the Turkish Photographic Art Federation (TFSF) was established.

On October 30, 1993, I created a working group called “GRUP FE” within AFSAD. Our group, which consists of nearly 30 members, carried out very active activities and was awarded the "PHOTO OF THE YEAR AWARD" by the Art Institute.

In order to carry out more active works besides my association works; I formed a club called FOSK in 1978 with Adnan POLAT, Eren ÖZERDİM, Zeliha ÖZTÜRKKAN, Sema ÜNSAL, Ahmet TOLUNGÜÇ, Hamdi TELLİ, Engin AREL and Şebnem AYDENİZ. We continued to carry out our work actively.

Later, in 1979, together with Metin GÜVEN, we established a new club called GELİŞİM 79. We continued our work here for a while with a group of our friends.

I was very happy when I learned that FOTOFORUM Photography Art Association was established in my hometown of Trabzon. Then I applied to the association and became a member.

I resigned from my membership of AFSAD on September 19, 1994 in order to carry out my photography work more healthily while the group work was continuing

By bringing together many photography masters who are not members of the association in Ankara, the aim is to “create a structure for the art of photography to reach social prestige in a democratic structure, to be aware of the historical responsibility of photography, and to create a structure for new and creative works of art and intellectual studies on the art of photography”. with in December 1994; Sıtkı FIRAT, Adnan ATAÇ, Tansu GÜRPINAR, Göker MÜFTÜOĞLU, Süha ARAY, Uğur BİLGE, Haydar BÜLBÜL, Tuğrul ÇAKAR, Mehmet Arslan GÜVEN, Bülent HİÇYILMAZ, Çerkes KARADAĞ, Adnan Veli KUVAANLIK, Necmettin KÜLAHTAŞ, Adnan Hasip POLLAHÇI, Selim POLATAHÇI, Ahmet Hasip , Ozan SAĞDIÇ, Mustafa TÜRKYILMAZ, Tahir ÜN, Tekin ÜSTÜNDAĞ and Osman Aziz YEŞİL, I pioneered the establishment of the “Photography Art Institution” (FSK).

I was elected to the Presidency with the decision of the first General Assembly and I served as the founding chairman for 3 years. The establishment of a second Photography Association in Ankara received positive reactions from the photography community. There were also those who applied for membership from outside Ankara.

During these studies, I received many awards in photography competitions I participated in, and I made photo shows on various subjects. I was a member of the jury. In 1977, I released an album called "AL GÖZÜM SEYREYLE FROM THE KARADENIZ".

I took part in the team of 10 people selected to represent our country at the "25th Black and White Biennial" held in 1999, and as a team we became the world champion and won the trophy.

I was given the title of “Honorary President of FSK” by the Board of the Photographic Art Institution for my contributions to the establishment and development of the institution.

In 2000, I retired from the Gendarmerie General Command Photo Film Center, where I worked for 26 years as a civil servant (Photography Specialist). In the same year, I opened a photography shop called PHOTO PAZARI and worked in trade for 10 years.

I had to close my business due to my illness. Now I spend most of my time at home trying to photograph Parkinson's.

However, I have never been away from my photography life.

I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported me throughout my life and have not spared their love and support.

Dursunali SARIKOC passed away on August 28, 2016.