The Gallery at the Marmara-Manhattan

Located in the lobby of The Marmara-Manhattan, this impressive gallery space is a highlight of both the property and the neighborhood. The light-filled room has become a forum for both established and up-and-coming artists from the local and international art scenes. The Marmara-Manhattan provides free public access to the gallery, open every day between 11am - 7 pm.

Saygun Dura My Reflected Reality Curated by Zishan Ugurlu Ph.D
September 15 - October 30, 2005
Opening Reception: Thursday, September 15, 2001 6:00 - 8:00 PM

The Gallery at The Marmara-Manhattan is pleased to present "My Reflected Reality" an exhibition by Turkish - born artist Saygun Dura. In keeping with The Gallery at The Marmara-Manhattan's commitment to introducing international artists to the New York art scene, this is the first time Dura's work has been seen in the United States.

What is left out in photographs often speaks as strongly as what is seen. Each of Dura's images begins with elements seen in his dream world and he develops his concepts as he assembles props perfecting every detail as he refines composition and lighting. Lines and forms, shading and highlights commonly associated with painting and sculpture, are his language of picture making. By laying out a visual puzzle, his images spring from the enigmatic world of Surrealism and confront the viewer with unfamiliar and original expressive possibilities, and Dura's engagement with great masters like Max Ernest feed his own creativity.

Fish has been used as a metaphor in all his photography. Taking them out of the magical underwater atmosphere and bringing them into his images allows them to function as a metaphor for the suffering of modern, alienated, lonely human being. In the company of Bosch, Dali, Ernst and other contemporary artist like Peter Witkin, Dura creates an inexhaustible reality not for himself, but for us too.

He was born in Adana, Turkey. Graduated with a BA in Economics. He became an assistant to Ersin Alok. Since 1990 he has served as a professor at Mimar Sinan University. He worked from 1990 to 1997 at an advertising company as a photographer and director of photography. Since 1997 he has been co-owner of Akya Photography.