Atıf Ülkü
Photographer & Director
Photographer & Director
Born in 1983 in Zonguldak, Atıf Ülkü began his journey in visual culture in the 2nd year of high school with a photography course. After continuing his art history education in Berlin for a while, he returned to Istanbul and completed his bachelor's degree in the Photography Department of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Marmara University in 2008. Between 2006-2007, he participated in an exchange program at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Bielefeld, where he studied Photo Design.
Ülkü’s artistic production is based on the idea of capturing moments, creating visual memories with documentary value, and sharing these memories with others. In particular, in the music scene, he has left a visual archive of the last 20 years of Turkish rap culture; through his long-term collaboration with Ceza, he has produced countless album covers, music videos, and concert photos. He directed music videos for key projects in Turkish rap history, such as “Ceza - Açık Ara Bul Kon,” “Killa Hakan, Ceza, Ezhel, Ben Fero - Fight Kulüp,” and “Ayben - Başkan.”
His works balance documentary sensitivity and visual storytelling. They reflect the spirit of the music scene, the inner worlds of the artists, and the spirit of the time in a compelling way.
Selected Exhibitions:
2006 – "fotografik", Beyoğlu Fotoğrafevi, Istanbul (solo digital exhibition)
2007 – "du bist was du siehst", Group Student Exhibition, Artists Unlimited Gallery, Bielefeld, Germany
2007 – "kıyısından", Group Student Exhibition, Tekel Art Gallery, Istanbul
2007 – "photo&digital’07", Group Student Exhibition, Istanbul
2007 – "du bist was du siehst", Group Student Exhibition, Artists Unlimited Gallery, Bielefeld, Germany
2007 – "kıyısından", Group Student Exhibition, Tekel Art Gallery, Istanbul
2007 – "photo&digital’07", Group Student Exhibition, Istanbul