Kutlug Ataman Films
Acclaimed filmmaker, known for work with strong characterisation and humanity. Also an established and renowned artist who uses the moving image as his main medium of expression.
Kutlug Ataman was the 2011 laureate of the third European Cultural Fund 'Routes' Princess Margriet Award for cultural diversity.
Kutlug Ataman also reaches audiences in museums and galleries, using his skills as a filmmaker to cross over into the contemporary art world. Using real people as his subjects, Ataman's camera and subtle interventions allow them to tell their stories.
Following the success of his first art piece, an affectionate and compelling work about a
Turkish opera diva in her eighties, Ataman's work has dealt with subjects whose infectious
obsessions and passions appeal to both critics and publics. His work has been shown at
the most important events in the contemporary art calendar - including the Venice, Sao
Paulo, Berlin and Istanbul Biennials, and Germany's Documenta - and in galleries
worldwide including MoMA New York, Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum and London's Tate.
He won the Carnegie Prize in Pittsburgh in 2004, was one of the four shortlisted artists for
the 2004 Turner Prize, and in 2009 won the Abraaj Capital Art Prize. In 2003 the UK's
Observer newspaper selected him artist of the year. His works are in public and private
collections worldwide, including MoMA New York, Tate Modern, London, Thyssen-
Bornemisza Art Contemporary, Vienna, the Dimitris Daskalopoulos Collection, Athens, the
Istanbul Modern and the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh. In 2009 new works were given
their first showing in Linz, European Capital of Culture 2009, and in London at the
Whitechapel Gallery and Thomas Dane Gallery. His work was also exhibited in Istanbul,
Lille, Basel, Gothenburg, Paris, Malmo and Cologne during 2009. In 2010 he exhibited in
Istanbul, Rome, Sydney, London and Berlin and in 2011 he had exhibitions in Bilbao,
London, Istanbul and Brighton. His work led ArtAsiaPacific to include him as one of their 5
Artists of the Year in their 2011 Almanac.
