Northern Forest No.26

Born in 1968 in Şırnak, Yusuf Murat Şen received his Undergraduate degree from Marmara University, and afterwards attended the Masters Program in the Mimar Sinan University Faculty of Fine Arts Photography Department, as well as receiving his Proficiency in Art. Şenbecame a Lecturer in 2002, and a Professor in 2009. A lecturer in the Photography Department since 1991, Şen served as the Head of Photography Department in the Mimar Sinan University Faculty of Fine Arts University between the years of 2007 – 2013. 

Besides his teaching duties, between 2015 – 2022 Şen served as the Director of FUAM (Photography Research and Application Center) which he also is one of the founding members, as well as the director of the ‘Istanbul Photobook Festival’, organized in Istanbul for the first time in Turkey. With his work previously internationally exhibited in Austria, Sweden, Greece and Bosnia - Herzigova, Yusuf Murat Şen has explored the antique methods of photography, its contemporary connotations, and photography archiving for many years. Mainly focusing on the interchangeable cultural and sociological tensions of Turkey, the monopolized system of politics, and urbanization, the artist contributes to the Turkish art arena with work that carry the qualities of documentary photography. 

Şen currently lives and works in İstanbul, organizing photobook workshops, exhibitions, seminars, artist talks, and consulting projects as well as participating in judging panels.