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A graphic poster with bright green and black text on a grey background. Large, fragmented lettering reads “MARK-SIZM” and “EDEBI”, while smaller text lists speakers “Terry Eagleton” and “Bülent Somay”. The event title is listed as “Marxism and Literature Criticism”. Two halftone images of a classical statue are repeated across the composition.

Some excellent poster work from Istanbul-based Studio Sarp Sozdinler

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Date
23 July 2014

I was lucky enough to visit Istanbul for its inaugural design biennale back in 2012 and although I was blown away by its creative scene, I didn’t come across too much graphic design. Rummaging through Studio Sarp Sozdinler’s website this week, I had the nagging feeling that I might have missed out.

Sarp studied in Vienna and has worked at various studios, learning from some of the best along the way (last year he interned at Base Design in Brussels, next year he heads to NYC to work at Sagmeister & Walsh). His own studio takes on books, posters, magazines, websites, exhibitions, product design, signage systems, film art direction, custom typefaces and visual identities, and if that wasn’t enough Sarp also founded the type foundry 383C, the experimental music practice EATING POMEGRANATES and the publishing imprint EDITIONS INÉDITS.

His portfolio is a treasure trove of interesting work but we’ve chosen to focus on his poster design from the past couple of years; strong, communicative and often powerful pieces that point to a designer whose craft is evolving at pace.

A typographic poster for an event titled “Thinking the Edge: Water and Culture”. The layout is a red and white grid containing text, photographs of brutalist architecture, and details for three round table discussions. The event took place at the “Istanbul Museum of Modern Art” in July 2013. The poster lists various speakers and topics, including “Istanbul a City on the Edge” and “Urban Topographies”.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A black and white poster for the “End of the Year Show 2014” at Westend Fotoschule. A series of thick, sweeping black brushstrokes curve across the centre of the page. Detailed schedules and a participant list are printed in small type on either side of the graphic.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A typographic poster with bold black lettering on a white and turquoise background reads “Strange Bedfellows”. The text is layered over a grainy blue circular image and several small photographs of people. Smaller text includes the dates “April 16–19 Nisan 2014” and a list of names and a Galata address.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A purple and blue typographic poster for “Modern Man DJ Set Series Volume 01” at “Kasette, 16.01”. It features high-contrast silhouettes of people and a line-up of artists including “Die Antwoord” and “Alpha Omega”.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A movie poster featuring a dark, tree-like silhouette with human hands emerging from its branches. A purple geometric shape is centred over the trunk, displaying the word “KREK” and a list of credits. The top of the poster reads “BAYRAK” in a stylised, blocky typeface.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A typographic poster for the “RHTM Sanat Festivali”, dated 03–07 June 2014. The layout features a lime green organic shape overlaid with a list of performers and events across several dates.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A collage-style poster for “Hacettepe University Anarcho-Feminism Days”. Large red text reads “MY THOUGHTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BY MOVING IMAGES”, layered over blue-tinted images and a red diagonal strike. The layout includes a schedule for “Day 1” and “Day 2” with names and times, and the event location as “Ankara Campus”. Small captions and a list of speakers appear alongside a variety of surreal images.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

A graphic poster featuring a lime green and white colour scheme with halftone images of a classical nude statue. Large, fragmented green text reads “MARK- SİZM VE EDEBİ- YA- LESTİ- RISI”. The poster lists speakers Terry Eagleton and Bülent Somay for an event titled “Marxism and Literature Criticism”. Event details include the date “Cuma, 8 Ocak 2013, 20.00” and the venue “Haliç Kongre Merkezi”.
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Studio Sarp Sozdinler: Poster

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About the Author

Rob Alderson

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Rob Alderson is a freelance writer, editor and strategist. He was previously editor-in-chief of It’s Nice That and WePresent, and editor of Design Week. He publishes the newsletter Undo, which tries to make sense of how AI is changing design work, the design process and the design industry.

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