While Business Adds Value to Art and Art Adds Value to Business…

Experienced Founder with a demonstrated history of working in the fine art industry. Skilled in Photography, Contemporary Art, Painting, Gallery Administration, and Art. Strong business development professional graduated from Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences.

Oktay Duran was born in Istanbul in 1949. After primary school, he completed middle and high school at Saint Benoit French High School. He completed his education in Istanbul Economic Sciences Academy-Şişli Economic and Commercial High School, graduating in 1973. He is on the Board of Directors of ASD and served as the founding chairman, board member and member of various social associations and foundations. Still Duran Doğan Basım ve Ambalaj San. Inc. and Duran Makina Sanayi ve Tic. Ltd. He continues his professional business life as the Chairman of the Board of Directors of his companies.

Oktay Duran, who showed the importance of specialization in the field of printing by switching to cardboard packaging in the 1980s, realizes the breakthrough he once made for the sector in the field of art, and believes that such an approach will create an invaluable value for the promotion and development of the country. Yunus Argan Oktay Duran is a name that has made a great contribution to the development of Turkish printing business, which we lost recently. His intelligence in trade in the field of art; We talked to Oktay Duran, the owner of Duran Makina, who was able to create a positive value from both sides by blending his understanding of art in the business field, about business and art collecting…

You graduated from the Istanbul Academy of Economic Sciences in 1973… How did the process develop for you then?

My childhood was spent in printing in high school. After high school, my fathers used to produce shoe materials, so I moved there. After 1979, I switched to printing and my professional printing started on this date. I take care of printing or textile all at a professional level. Not knowing printing has been my advantage. I had the opportunity to evaluate everything from scratch.

It was inevitable for you to meet your father’s profession… Did it have an impact on your choice of profession?

‘Come to the printing house,’ my father used to call. The printing press was an established system. I didn’t know what my involvement would change. The void of the half-management system has been filled. What would I do if I didn’t do it? I would probably have built a big shoe factory. Close to my current job. You chose a different way in printing as well…

Why?

At that time, everyone, including my father, is trying to work on what they have seen so far. In our printing business, the sectors were not so separated from each other. In other words, cardboard boxes were printed in a printing house, as well as magazines and posters. Seeing that these are separate issues in Europe, we decided to decide on one and chose cardboard packaging. The cardboard packaging was just getting started, it was going well. We thought it would be more advantageous. We found that there was less competition. We took the decision in one day and informed our current customers and turned to cardboard in an instant. We lost 50 percent of our customers in an instant, but we filled the empty capacity with cardboard packaging in a very short time. The printing machine prints, but if you put paper on it, there is a need for creasing on the back, sewing is required. Our cardboard packaging also needs other machines, cutting,A folding gluing machine is required. I visited a few printing houses in Europe, and when I saw that they were going in this direction, I realized that we made the right decision. It is indisputable that Ali Baba made great contributions to the field of printing…

What is the legacy he left you? What was the most important piece of advice he gave you?

Normally, when someone who has reached the age of 94 dies, they are buried with their family members. When Ali Baba passed away, thousands of people came to his funeral. People came from all over Turkey. Moreover, since we were buried on the day of the newspaper advertisement, ‘Why didn’t you wait for a day?’ such complaints came. This is what happens when you do something good. Here we saw that the father created a huge impact area. With his advice, the whole printing business flourished. Everyone took something from him. The room gave everyone something for nothing. This is a great legacy for us. Sharing his knowledge, doing his job properly, and never going sideways to achieve success were his most important features. These features have also spread to us. We also know that you receive support from specialized printing houses in your special projects.I think Ali Baba had a lot of influence on your attitude… In 1991, we established the Cardboard Packaging Manufacturers Association. I was its president for the first 12 years. I shared all my knowledge with the members there, even though they were my rivals. I even received criticism in this direction. The faster an industry grows, the further it goes, the bigger the pie. The slice of the cake that will fall on us will also grow. That’s why I said, ‘Come, let’s enlarge the cake, let’s have a big slice’. The year is 1991. At that time, we, as Duran Ofset, were the largest in the industry. It’s 2012, it’s been 21 years. Despite sharing so much information, we are still one of the greatest. As a machine manufacturer, we have contributed not only to sharing information, but also to the development of many printing houses. Because we didn’t give the cardboard box folder gluer machines we produced to any printing house and say ‘Come on, thank you’.We taught everyone how to use it, how to improve the business of that printing house and how to make a difference. After all, nothing was missing from us. Maybe the key determination there was this; When we come together, we will leave the competition at the door, we will talk about our common interests to the end. This idea took hold, and it continued after me. The following discipline was formed with it; In competition, people had to treat each other more carefully and more civilized.In competition, people had to treat each other more carefully and more civilized.In competition, people had to treat each other more carefully and more civilized.

In 2005, you merged Duran Ofset with Doğan Matbaacılık. Why did you find this necessary?

When you look at the past of the sector, you cannot see companies that are centuries old. Printing continues its life mostly as a family business. But when there’s a break in one of the generations, the company ends. Based on this awareness, we opened Duran Ofset to the public in 1991. We became a listed company. The underlying logic is this: If one of the future generations of the Duran family does not want to continue this business or fails, so that someone with capital will take over the company and the company will continue.When the year 2005 came, the synergy that could arise if we merged our companies with Mike Acemyan, owner of the art ON art gallery in Akaretler, July-August 2012, Printing World 48, which is the expression of Blue Symphony Duran, who revolutionized Turkish Contemporary Painting Art with the sale of Doğan Matbaacılık, one of the oldest and well-established companies in the industry.

We started to calculate. We calculated that 1+1 could be 4, not 2. Our calculation was also correct and Duran Doğan Printing and Packaging was born. I wish our industry to take the story of the merger of Duran Ofset and Doğan Matbaacılık as an example today. Your approach to growing the industry together also coincides with your approach to the arts. While selling Burhan Doğançay’s ‘Blue Symphony’, your goal is to contribute to the development of Turkish contemporary art,It must be the result of a similar concern…

I think that art is a major factor in the perception of Turkish people abroad. How much of an artist society you are; you are perceived more accurately, you are more respected. In particular, Burhan Doğançay, one of the pioneers of modern and contemporary art in Turkey, I tried to explain that we are an artist nation as much as possible. When any work of a living artist is not sold for over $1 million, it is not properly perceived in the art scene around the world. At that time, there was only one work that could exceed that value, and it was mine. ‘If we sell this, will there be movement in Turkey’s contemporary art?’ said. Fortunately, much has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art since that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.How much of an artist society you are; you are perceived more accurately, you are more respected. In particular, Burhan Doğançay, one of the pioneers of modern and contemporary art in Turkey, I tried to explain that we are an artist nation as much as possible.

When any work of a living artist is not sold for over $1 million, it is not properly perceived in the art scene around the world. At that time, there was only one work that could exceed that value, and it was mine. ‘If we sell this, will there be movement in Turkey’s contemporary art?’ said. Fortunately, much has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art since that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.How much of an artist society you are; you are perceived more accurately, you are more respected. In particular, Burhan Doğançay, one of the pioneers of modern and contemporary art in Turkey, I tried to explain that we are an artist nation as much as possible. When any work of a living artist is not sold for over $1 million, it is not properly perceived in the art scene around the world. At that time, there was only one work that could exceed that value, and it was mine. ‘If we sell this, will there be movement in Turkey’s contemporary art?’ said.

Fortunately, a lot has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art after that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.In particular, Burhan Doğançay, one of the pioneers of modern and contemporary art in Turkey, I tried to explain that we are an artist nation as much as possible. When any work of a living artist is not sold for over $1 million, it is not properly perceived in the art scene around the world. At that time, there was only one work that could exceed that value, and it was mine. ‘If we sell this, will there be movement in Turkey’s contemporary art?’ said. Fortunately, much has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art since that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.In particular, Burhan Doğançay, one of the pioneers of modern and contemporary art in Turkey, I tried to explain that we are an artist nation as much as possible.

When any work of a living artist is not sold for over $1 million, it is not properly perceived in the art scene around the world. At that time, there was only one work that could exceed that value, and it was mine. ‘If we sell this, will there be movement in Turkey’s contemporary art?’ said. Fortunately, much has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art since that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.Fortunately, much has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art since that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.Fortunately, much has changed in Turkey’s contemporary art since that sale. If it were not, if everything was going as before, I would be very sorry to have taken the work out of my hands.

You are not just a passive art lover. You are a collector and at the same time, you started to trade this with the gallery you opened. When, how and why did your interest in art begin?

Everyone started by buying and collecting works of art, why shouldn’t I do it? I started to buy works of painters we know old. I realized that this collection would not be like that. A collection is a collection if the works you buy can talk to each other. It may be the works of a period, it may be the works of a style, an artist. While I was searching there, I met Burhan Doğançay. I was very impressed with his perspective on art. ‘I said OK. I said, ‘I will be Burhan Doğançay’s collector, I will work with him, I will live with him’.

Is there an area of ​​art that you are actively interested in beyond collecting?

No, I’m not doing anything related to art. I’m just a follower. I have an art-lover and collector interest in painting and sculpture. My talent is not about painting or sculpting; at the creativity level. I also use this in my own business. I am chasing new things in my work. I’m working on ‘How can I be different in my job, in machines, how can I do different things’. An Indian writer I read says, ‘The artist is the continuation of the creator in the world’. He says, ‘The creator has given the artist a hand to continue the creation’. After the Art On Gallery you opened in Akaretler, you have plans to open an art gallery in Gaziantep as well…

Why Gaziantep?

Art needs to be brought to industrialized cities. Istanbul Modern does this job well. We opened the Burhan Doğançay exhibition with them. Another aim is to take the exhibition abroad from here. One of the purposes of the gallery here is to bring important exhibitions abroad to Turkey and to carry the ones here. This must include the commercial side of artistic works. There are no painters of the period like Burhan Doğançay in my art trade. We bring together young artists who are graduates of art schools, with whom we can get along with people, and create a space where works other than violence and pornography are exhibited. My wife has a great contribution to the selection of artists. He has an eye that can distinguish between right and wrong without being affected by the signature and the value of the painting. It has great convenience. I’m only on the commercial and logistics side of the business.

How much of your time do you devote to work and how much to art?

I’m not very involved in the daily work here. I work in financing and creating new products. I also do PR with customers, take care of them. I am able to speak directly to higher level customers. I also deal with the international part of the business through PR.

How did your interest in art affect your workflow?

You shouldn’t just think about your contribution to the business. Even countries today realize that they express themselves better when they talk about how artists they are. While telling many things until today, all countries have discovered that it is the right way to tell through art, but we were not the only ones to discover it.

Why do you think?

We haven’t had a renaissance yet. The fact that the printing press came 280 years late means everything. At that time, the dissemination of information was prevented.

So did we catch it?

We got it, but it’s a bit of a genetic thing. It needs some time. Many foreign experts say; If art does not run parallel to industrialization, you cannot expect good from that country. This is very clear, very clear. If all the developing countries did not run the arts in parallel, they have suffered a lot, there are many examples. We still can’t see it. A country’s brand value increases only with the help of art. Today, if the Turkey Promotion Fund allocates one-tenth of its resources to art activities, a very serious promotion will take place. When it comes to artistic activity, I am not talking about sending singers from here to Germany.

Any activity that can be in the sense of opening an exhibition and promoting Turkish plastic arts is all kinds of gain for Turkey. You have accomplished an important job in the field of printing by switching to the packaging field. It is accepted that you started a renaissance in Turkish contemporary art to pave the way for contemporary art. Why did you undertake such a mission?

It is necessary to find the key idea that will help overcome a problem. I read a lot of books on this subject and give lectures on art and society interactions. When the French Revolution happened, the Revolution Committee decided within a week to explain that the revolution was for the people, and they turned the Louvre Palace, which belonged to the king, into an art museum. This is a good example of using art to explain that the revolution was for the people. Again, everyone knows how the USA spread its culture to the whole world by using the art of cinema. We still haven’t woken up. We need to spend billions of dollars to build a museum. Can you imagine that if 1 billion dollars is spent and a museum is built, its contribution can only be amortized in one year as value added tax? ‘I couldn’t explain this to politicians,I found this figure by asking themselves, saying, ‘I should at least tell the tourism professionals’. If they think with a commercial mind, they will see that art can yield so much. There are such interesting findings.

What did China do? It became one of the largest manufacturers in the world. He realized that he could not raise his products in any way without processing the art. So now they are opening a lot of museums. They send their young children to Italy and America to receive art education. They finance museums in Europe. We are in an interesting position right now. We come to 150 billion dollars in exports and 92 percent of our exports are finished industrial products. Our ministers talk about added value, but it is impossible to raise it without art, although it takes a lot of time. Invest 1% of your investment in industry into art and you will increase the return by 10%. We need to tell this.

Was it easy for you to undertake this mission?

It’s all about being aware of something. Currently, Eczacıbaşı, Sabancı Museum, Pera and Doğançay Museum are doing this very well. In the cover letter of one of his books, Sakıp Sabancı says, ‘I have made many investments, made international partnerships, employ thousands of workers, but in the end I realized that; You grow to the extent that you support education, culture and art. İKSV, on the other hand, has reached the highest level in the promotion of Turkey in this business.

Could an artist do this?

It would be wrong to expect this from the artist. The artist will do his art. We have to honor the artist and introduce him to the world.

You have established a structure that overlaps art and printing. You have started to make wet signed prints of original works in the gallery. What can be said about the reflection of this in the field of printing?

When we opened the gallery, we entered with wet signed prints of the works of the most expensive foreign painters. It’s been very effective. It was a good experience.

Will there be a sequel to this?

I can think of a second gallery as a print gallery.

Apart from you, Dr., who is known as a great name for his contribution to Turkish printing, and who also received the Second Honorary Award from BASEV. Oktay Duran. Do you have any relatives? How do you find their educational work?

We don’t have any kinship. It’s a pretty good school. I think he is doing a very valuable and useful job for the sector.

Have you had any work related to education?

Personally, I don’t do anything about education. I’m doing something more culturally related. Because being educated does not bring culture. Educated workforce is a serious problem in the field of printing, as in many other sectors.

What are your thoughts on this subject?

Most printers train their own staff. It doesn’t come out any other way. Even if you say you are giving the training, it is not easy to get results there if there is no proper equipment and proper machinery in that printing house. Technology has developed so much that it is not easy for schools to invest in advanced technology. Investing in them should be seen as a state policy. I think that the units of the industry and the state can be intertwined and coordinated. Civil society organizations should take the lead here.

Do you continue to work in non-governmental organizations?

I am not very active in non-governmental organizations like I used to be. We left this area to the youth. I have my nephew Ali Can Duran at KASAD. I’m on the board of ASD. I will have an active role in ASD’s Packaging Museum creation project. We want it to be a beautiful museum around the world. It started to be done virtually.

July–August 2012 Printing World 47

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