Biography

Savaş Boyraz (born in 1980, Istanbul) based in Stockholm. He was part of Mezopotamya Cinema Collective between 1998 and 2006 in Istanbul. He graduated from the Photography Department of Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul in 2009. Got his degree  in Fine Arts in Art in Public Realm Master Program at Konstfack, Stockholm, in 2012.

He has been selected by Lausanne Photography Museum for the reGeneration2 exhibitions and book in 2010. With his Master graduation work   “Invisible Landscapes” he was awarded with Victor Fellowship by Hasselblad Foundation, and took part in New Nordic Photography exhibition   in 2013.

In 2016, Boyraz worked with Bergen University College, Norway, and produced documentary and fiction films as a part of research projects in social sciences.

Since 2021, he is pursuing a PhD in artistic research, at the Department of Film and Media at Stockholm University of Arts.

Education

PhD in Artistic Research, Stockholm University of the Arts, 2021 – Ongoing

Master of Fine Arts, Art in Public Realm Program, Konstfack, Stockholm Sweden 2012

Bachelors of Fine Arts in Photography, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul Turkey 2009

Additional Studies

Ethnomusicology at MIAM (Center for Advanced Studies in Music) Followed and helped organizing three courses by lecturer Robert Reigle in Istanbul Technical University, 2008

Ancient Philology, 3 years of study, Istanbul University, 1998 – 2001

Cinema-TV, 1 year of study at Faculty of Fine Arts, Beykent University, Istanbul 1997 – 1998

Art Residencies

Jan Van Eyck Academy, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 2021

Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, Germany 2019

International Studio & Curatorial Program ISCP, New York, USA, 2013-2014

Awards & Grants

• IASPIS, 2 year Working Grant 2018-2019
• 6 months Residency at Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin, funded by IASPIS
• VestNorsk Filmsenter, production support for “Birthday Parents” short film 2017
• IASPIS, 1 year Working Grant 2014
• Hasselblad Foundation, New Nordic Photography, Masters Group – Victor Fellowship 2013
• IASPIS, Assistant’s Grant 2013 (with Hito Steyerl)
• ReGeneration 2, PHOTOGRAPHERS OF TOMORROW- Elysee Photography Museum, Switzerland, 2009
• Otogar-Istanbul, HSBC Photography Awards, Best Portfolio, Turkey, October 2009
• Ben u Sen (you and me), HSBC Photography Awards, Second Prize, Turkey, October 2009

Professional Experience

2013-2019 Assisting German artist Hito Steyerl with research, camera work, translation and production management, in several of her works

2016-2018 Worked with Hilde Danielsen (Bergen University Uni-Research Rokkansenteret) on a film project about Parenting Cultures in Plural Norway.

 “Up on the horse again / a film about horse activities in addiction recovery” Educational film prepared for Bergen University College 2016

“Før snøen faller” a feature fiction film by Hisham Zaman, Line Producer for Turkey, Assistant Line Producer for Iraq, 2010-2011 (Dragon Award winner of 2013 Goteborg Film Festival)

ONE SHOT – Istanbul An artistic still photography project by Alexander Berg. Assisted his work in Istanbul. 2009

Since 2007 Working as a freelance still & video photographer.

Mesopotamia Culture Center, Cinema Department – Istanbul. Worked in various fields of film making process, mainly on photography, editing, international relations and production management. Additionally, organized music events and concerts between 1998 – 2007

Exibitions (Highlights)

• Tracing Traces with Empty Hands ZOZAN Markk Zwishenraum 6 October 2023 – 7 Jan 2024, Hamburg Germany
• the State we are in, 2+2=KRDSTN April 28 – May 19 2023 Forum de l’Hôtel de Ville, Lausanne, Switzerland
• the State we are in / Life, Death, Love and Justice, Curated by Peter Sit & Didem Yazici, 15 Sep. 2022 – 2 Jan 2023 YapiKredi, Istanbul Turkey
• Face to Face / Invisible Landscapes, The Immunity 2-28 Nov 2021, BBK München und Oberbayern, Germany.
• Partridge Nation, Jan Van Eyck Open Studios Exhibition, 2021 Maastricht, The Netherlands
• the State we are in / Life, Death, Love and Justice, Curated by Peter Sit & Didem Yazici, 8 June – 15 October, 2021 TRANZIT Ljublijana, Slovenia
• the State we are in, Middle Eastern Institute Art Gallery MEI, December 6, 2019 to February 20, 2020 Washington DC, USA
• the State we are in, In Relation to, 12 Sept – 4 Oct 2020, Centrum För Fotografi CFF, Stockholm, Sweden
• Meanwhile & the State we are in, bê welat – the unexpected storytellers NGBK,25 June – 15 August 2020 Berlin, Germany.
• the State we are in, Somewhere in Between 21 sep 2019 – 12 january 2020 Boras Konstmuseum, Borås, Sweden.

• “the State we are in” Solo show at Kunstlerhaus Bethanien, curated by Adnan Yildiz, Berlin, April-May 2019
• “the State” group show “In the Blink of a Bird” at NGBK Berlin, April – May 2019
• “the State we are in” Solo show within Mutterzunge, curated by Adnan Yildiz Uqbar Berlin, Feb 2019,
• “Meanwhile & Evin’s Story”, Mutterzunge Launch, Babylon Kino Berlin, March 2018
• “Evin’s Story & the State we are in”, SOLO SHOW Konstfrämjändet Stockholm, Dec.2017 – Jan. 2018
• “Evin’s Story”, Mother Tongue, Sveriges Kunstforeningar, Touring Exhibition Sweden 2017 – 2018
• Evin’s Story & Meanwhile – Savvy Contemporary, Berlin, January 2018
• Evin’s Story & Meanwhile – Museum für Neue Kunst – Städtische Museen Freiburg, November 2017
• “Evin’s Story” Oslo Museum, TrAP, 2017
•  “Evin’s Story”, Beachhead’s Peace of Mind, Art Space Auckland, New Zealand May 2016
• “Triptych”, Mother Tongue, Gallery 3,14 Bergen, Norway November 2015
• “invisible landscapes” London Int. Kurdish Film Festival, November 2015
• “Evin’s Story”, the radio by Teatro di Nascosto, Volterra Italy October 2015
• “BACK-DROP”, SOLO SHOW, Open Source Gallery, New York City, USA October 2015
• “Guerrilla Exhibition” (with Martin Nordström) Landskrona Foto Festival – Sweden / August 2014
• “invisible landscapes / face to face” Duhok International Film Festival – Duhok Kurdistan / Iraq October 2013
• “invisible landscapes / face to face” New Nordic Photography 2013 Hasselblad Center, June-August 2013
•  “invisible landscapes ” SOLO SHOW, AMED ART GALERY, Sümer Park, Diyarbakır Turkey. May 2012
• “Ben u Sen” Berlin Kurdish Film Festival event, Berlin, Germany. November 2011
• “Ben u Sen” incontri – meetings, by Teatro di Nascosto, Volterra Italy, November 2011
• “Ben u Sen” reGeneration2, Chelsea Gallery, Aperture Foundation – New York, USA, Jan-March 2011
• “Ben u Sen” reGeneration2, Centre Gallery, Miami Dade College, United States, Oct-Dec 2010
• “Ben u Sen” reGeneration2, Galleria Carla Sozzani, Milan, Italie September 2010
• “Ben u Sen” reGeneration2, Les Rencontres d’Arles, France July-August-September 2010
• Kuda dici lawo? Where are you going, my son? Konsthall C, Stockholm, Sweden, June 2010
• “Otogar Istanbul” individual Exhibition, Mesopotamia Culture Center, Istanbul Turkey, June-July 2010
•  “Ben u Sen” (Me and You) Individual Exhibition, Planet-K, La Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy 2009
• Otogar Istanbul & “Ben u Sen” (Me and You), Fotograf Evi, Istanbul Turkey, October-November 2009
• Otogar Istanbul in Istanbul Art Fair ARTİST, Istanbul, Turkey – November 2008

Publications

• Invisible Landscapes in Visible Constraints – An Introspective Autocritique of a Lens-Based Arts Practitioner, In review process for ZOZAN publication by ÖAW Department of Social Anthropology .
• Meanwhile, photographic feature and interview in Clarté Magazine, 3/2023.

• Imago Mundi, In between worlds – Kurdish Contemporary Artists – FABRICA, 2018
• Invisible Landscapes – FOAM Magazine, Image Based Activism issue, April 2015
• “Ben u Sen” in reGeneration2, Musee dElysee, by Thames & Hudson London 2010.
• Otogar Istanbul & “Ben u Sen” (Me and You), HSBC Photography Awards Book Release. 2010
• Otogar Istanbul, IZ Photography Journal 24^th Volume, Nov-Dec. Turkey & Europe 2009
• “Ben u  Sen – A Photographic Essay” Acoustic Levitation Web Journal. USA. June 2009. http://acousticlevitation.org/benusen.html
• “Gelenekselden Evrensele” (from Traditional towards Universal) Article on Kamkars Music Ensemble. Esmer – Istanbul, Issue 29 – May 2007