Olgaç (born 1987), a Turkish-born artist raised in London, is currently based in Berlin.
His upbringing in Konya during his developmental years largely informs his work today, as an exploration of cultural identity has become a recurring theme in his visual language.
Since 2014, Olgaç has travelled to over 60 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, parts of Africa, and Latin America to challenge the hegemonic Western notions of beauty and personal individuality. He often explores the world of his subjects by shooting them in their environments. His educational background in Theatre shaped his improvisational staged documentary approach.
Olgaç was named part of Foam’s 2022 Talent; in 2019 he was featured in the British Journal of Photography's "Ones to Watch" photographers, stating “Bozalp has been at the forefront of a movement to diversify visual culture, introducing new ideas about gender, beauty and race.”; and featured in Aperture’s 2017 "Element of Style" issue, which investigates the role of style, dress, and beauty in forming individual identity."
As of 2023 he had two solo exhibitions at Foam Museum and participated in several group exhibitions at institutions including the National Portrait Gallery London, Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, Aperture Gallery, Sharjah Art Foundation, Arles and Odunpazari Modern Museum.
His work has also been published by M Le Monde, A Magazine Curated by, Dazed, Atmos, and T Magazine, and he has worked with clients Balenciaga, Hérmes, Carven, Hugo Boss, H&M, Alexander McQueen, Camper, GmbH, Dilara Fındıkoğlu, and Zegna.
PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
2024 “Konya Boys & Sunrise Istanbul”
Foam Museum, Amsterdam
2021 “Dayılar“
OMM Museum, Eskişehir
2020 “Sisterhood, Adana Boys and Hashem”
Hoor Al Qasimi Collection, Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE
2020 “Iranian Family“
Winterthur Foto Museum, Switzerland
BOOKS & ZINES
2024 “While Waiting For Armmã”
Self-Published Postcard Series, November 2024
2023 “Ji”
Commissioned by Sankuanz, November 2023
2022 “Leaving One for Another”
Published by Void, November 2022
2022 “Buddha Was Born Here”
Self-Published June 2022
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 “Dad On His Search For Hüseyin”
Foam Museum, Amsterdam
2023 “Arada”
Verwey Museum, Harleem
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Galerie-Kernweine, Stuttgart
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
1014 Gallery, London
2022 “Buddha Was Born Here”
Sheriff Gallery, Paris
2017 “Borders”
À La Galerie Duboys, Paris
COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS & FESTIVALS
2024 “Leaving One For Another”
Réseau Lux, Paris, FR
2024 “Leaving One For Another”
Radar Festival, Trani, IT
2024 “Leaving One For Another”
Les Rencontres d’Arles, Night Of The Year, FR
2024 “Leaving One For Another”
Mesnographies, Les Mesnuls, FR
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Larnaca Biennale, Cyprus
2023 “Dad On His Search For Hüseyin & Arada”
Jipfest, Jakarta
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Future Perfect, Fotodoks, Munich
2023 “Dear Earth, Atmos”
Hayward Gallery, London
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Lucid Borders, Art Exchange, Essex, UK
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation, Frankfurt
2022 “Foam Talents, Leaving One For Another”
Foam Museum, Amsterdam
2021 “Tomorrow City”
Foto Tallinn Curated by Isabella Van Marle, Estonia
2021 “Dayilar”
Don’t Look Back, Deep is the Past, OMM Museum, TR
2021 “Kurd”
21, Galerie Sebastien Lepeuve, Paris
2020 “Konya Boys”
Taylor Wessing Prize, National Portrait Gallery, London
2019 “Archival work”
Vantage Point Sharjah 7, Sharjah Art Foundation, UAE
2019 “Istanbul x Gucci”
Aperture Photographs, Aperture Foundation, New York
2018 “Istanbul x Gucci”
All That Man Is, Photo Vogue Festival, Milan
2018 “Archival work”
212 Photography Festival, Leica Gallery, Istanbul
2017 “Archival Work”
No Lab, Haskoy Yun Iplik Fabrikasi, Istanbul
ARTIST COLLABORATION
2025 “Living Rooms”
Book by Middle East Archive
2023 “Wild Memory Radio”
WePresent, 30 leading cultural figures share the places
2023 “Deck of Cards x Olgaç Bozalp”
Middle East Archive
2023 “Archival Work, city installation”
Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Antwerp
PRINT INSTALLATIONS
2021 “Leaving One For Another”
Broadway Market, London
2021 “Dayilar”
Galata, Istanbul
2021 “Dasht e lut”
Westwood, Los Angeles
2021 “Cem”
Ost Hafen, Berlin
SELECTED PRINT SALES
2024 “Archival Selection”
AucArt
2023 “Mount Bromo”
Foam Editions
2020 “Funeral Flower Man”
Magnum x Aperature, Work of Imagination, Square Print Sale
2017 “Istanbul x Gucci”
Aperature, Elements of Style, Limited-Edition Print Series
TALKS & LECTURES
2025 “Karnibahar”
Bilsart,Istanbul
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Fotodoks, Munich
2023 “Q&A with Educational Department”
Foam Museum
2023 “Q&A by Kim Knoppers”
Foam Museum
2023 “Q&A with Olgaç Bozalp”
Bath Spa University
2021 “Q&A by Sila Guven”
World Hope Forum by Lidewij Edelkoort & Philip Fimmano
2020 “Slow Looking”
The Photographer’s Gallery, London
2020 “Develop: Creative Careers Through Photography”
The Photographer’s Gallery, London
SELECTED PRINT PRESS
2024 Spark Journal, Buy a One-Way Ticket with Olgaç Bozalp
2023 Monopol Magazin, Fortgehen
2023 Leica Fotografie International, Leaving One For Another
2023 Financial Times, Gallery, Photographs by Olgaç Bozalp
2022 Wallpaper*, Four Emerging Image Makers
2022 Guardian, Big Picture, Leaving One for Another
2022 Foam Magazine, Leaving One for Another
2020 WePresent Magazine, Dad Interview
2019 British Journal of Photography, Ones To Watch 2019
2018 Printed Pages, The It’s Nice That Magazine, Zennes
2017 Aperture, Elements of Style Issue
SELECTED DIGITAL PRESS
2024 Dazed, Photographs document the search for belonging
2023 Foam, A Closer Look at the Work of Olgaç Bozalp
2023 Vice, Photos of the Pain and Beauty
2023 Wallpaper*, Olgaç Bozalp’s journey through forced migration
2023 Another Magazine, Thoughtful Meditation on Migration
2022 Museé, Olgaç Bozalp’s Leaving One For Another
2022 Aesthetica, Global Movement
2022 I-D, Olgaç 's photographs about migration blur fact & fiction
2022 Guardian, From one place to another: images of migration
2022 Fisheye, Leaving One For Another
2022 Wallpaper*, The best photo books to adorn your coffee table
2022 Another Mag, This Zine Captures the Abundant Beauty of Nepal
2020 WePresent, I was seeing my dad in a new light
2020 Aperture, 12 Photographers on How to Survive the Lockdown
2019 The New Yorker, New Yorker Photo Takeover
2018 Vogue Italia, Photo Vogue Festival
2018 I-D, 5 Photographers Reimagining Masculinity
2018 It's Nice That, Family Photo Albums
2017 Self Publish Be Happy, SPBH Ten Questions
2017 It's Nice That, Male Belly Dancers
2017 It's Nice That, On The Difficulties of Shooting Fashion in Iran
2017 Independent, Iran’s Underground Fashion and Style
2016 It's Nice That, Challenging Traditional Ideas of Male Beauty
BOOKS & ZINES
2024 “While Waiting For Armmã”
Self-Published Postcard Series, November 2024
2023 “Ji”
Commissioned by Sankuanz, November 2023
2023 “Dad On His Search For Hüseyin”
Foam Museum, Amsterdam
2023 “Arada”
Verwey Museum, Harleem
Verwey Museum, Harleem
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Galerie-Kernweine, Stuttgart
Galerie-Kernweine, Stuttgart
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Future Perfect, Fotodoks, Munich
Future Perfect, Fotodoks, Munich
2023 “Dear Earth, Atmos”
Hayward Gallery, London
Hayward Gallery, London
Foto Tallinn Curated by Isabella Van Marle, Estonia
2025 “Living Rooms”
Book by Middle East Archive
2023 “Wild Memory Radio”
WePresent, 30 leading cultural figures share the places
2023 “Deck of Cards x Olgaç Bozalp”
Middle East Archive
2023 “Archival Work, city installation”
Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Antwerp
PRINT INSTALLATIONS
2021 “Leaving One For Another”
Broadway Market, London
2021 “Dayilar”
Galata, Istanbul
2021 “Dasht e lut”
Westwood, Los Angeles
2021 “Cem”
Ost Hafen, Berlin
2021 “Leaving One For Another”
Broadway Market, London
2021 “Dayilar”
Galata, Istanbul
2021 “Dasht e lut”
Westwood, Los Angeles
2021 “Cem”
Ost Hafen, Berlin
SELECTED PRINT SALES
2024 “Archival Selection”
AucArt
2023 “Mount Bromo”
Foam Editions
2020 “Funeral Flower Man”
Magnum x Aperature, Work of Imagination, Square Print Sale
2017 “Istanbul x Gucci”
Aperature, Elements of Style, Limited-Edition Print Series
2024 “Archival Selection”
AucArt
2023 “Mount Bromo”
Foam Editions
2020 “Funeral Flower Man”
Magnum x Aperature, Work of Imagination, Square Print Sale
2017 “Istanbul x Gucci”
Aperature, Elements of Style, Limited-Edition Print Series
Bilsart,Istanbul
2023 “Leaving One For Another”
Fotodoks, Munich