Burhan Dogançay (Dogancay) photographs and sketchbooks
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
The collection by Burhan Dogançay (1929-2013) contains platinum prints, gelatin silver and color photographs, black & white and color negatives, contact prints, and color slides of iron workers working on the Brooklyn Bridge, the Lipstick Building, and various other buildings in Midtown Manhattan. The collection also includes Dogancay's "Scratchity" Sketchbooks of NYC grafitti which span the years of 1996-2009 and various books and other print matter regarding Dogançay's artwork.
Biographical Note
Burhan Dogançay was born in Istanbul in 1929. During the early 1950s, he studied economics and law at the University of Paris and art at La Grande Chaumiere. In 1964 Dogancay moved to New York City, making it his permanent home. Noted primarily as an important painter with a significant interest in urban walls, Burhan Dogançay's career spanned nearly five decades. The Dogançay Museum opened in 2004 in Istanbul where it exhibits Burhan's work as well as the work by his father, Adil Dogançay. After the opening of the museum, Dogancay split his time between New York City, Istanbul, and the south of Turkey where he maintained a studio. Burhan Dogançay died on 16 January 2013 in Istanbul.
(Throughout this finding aid the form "Dogancay" is used in addition to "Dogançay" in order to ensure discovery by all search engines.)
Arrangement
The collection is organized in five series.
Series I. Bridge of Dreams (1986-1987, 1999-2000)
Series II. Photographs, Negatives, Contact Prints, and Slides (1983-2006, bulk 1983-1988)
Series III. "Scratchity" Sketchbooks (1996-2009)
Series IV. Books and Other Print Matter (1986-2008)
Series V. Memorabilia (1980s?)
Scope and Content Note
The collection contains photographs, negatives, contact prints, slides, sketchbooks, and various books and other print matter concerning Burhan Dogançay's photography and artwork. The bulk of the collection is photographic and is from 1983-1988. Dogancay photographed iron workers restoring the Brooklyn Bridge with the New York City skyline (including the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center) as a backdrop. He also photographed the iron workers building structures for buildings in Midtown. The Lipstick Building is heavily covered in this collection showing its progress from demolition of previous buildings in its place all the way to the finished building. Other notable buildings, including the Citicorp Building (Citicorp Center, now known by its address of 601 Lexington Avenue) and the Chrysler Building, make appearances in the backgrounds of images of the iron workers hard at work. Dogancay took similar photographs in France of the demolition and foundations of buildings which are included in this collection as well, but the vast majority is of New York City.
Burhan Dogançay sketched in his "Scratchity" sketchbooks graffiti that he came across on New York City walls, subways, and subway stations. This became inspiration for future paintings that he did, some of which can be found in the various books and other materials that are included in this collection. His photographs of iron workers are also depicted in some of the print matter, including a newspaper clipping and a museum brochure.
Subjects
Organizations
Genres
People
Topics
Access Restrictions
Materials in this collection may be stored offsite. For more information on making arrangements to consult them, please visit www.nyhistory.org/library/visit.
Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff.
Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282.
Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: https://www.nyhistory.org/about/rights-reproductions
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as: Burhan Dogançay Photographs and Sketchbooks, PR 183, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.
Credit line for material in Series I: Gift of Burhan Dogançay and Angela Dogançay
Credit line for material in Series II-V: Gift of Angela Dogançay
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Series I. - Gift of Burhan Dogançay and Angela Dogançay, 10 June 2002; and Gift of Angela Dogançay, May 2019.
Series I-IV. - Gift of Angela Dogançay, 2014-2016, 2019.
Series V. Gift of Angela Dogançay, 2019, 2021.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Holly Hinman and Kelly McAnnaney initially processed the collection in circa 2005; at that time the collection included only part of what is now Series I, the Bridge of Dreams photographs. Much more material was donated to N-YHS in 2014-2016. This additional material, which comprises Series II-IV of the collection, was processed in 2018 by Jessica Flon, who also integrated the earlier material into the whole. A set of 25 large format photographs of construction on the Brooklyn Bridge was received in 2019 and added to Series II at that time. Additional material donated in 2019 and 2021 was added to the finding aid by Larry Weimer in 2021.
Repository
Series I. Bridge of Dreams, 1986-1987, 1999-2000, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
Series I is exclusively drawn from Dogançay's book Bridge of Dreams: The Rebirth of the Brooklyn Bridge, New York: Hudson Hills Press, 1999. This series contains 10 platinum prints taken by Dogancay in 1986-1987 during the Brooklyn Bridge's restoration, and which appear in the book. These images feature the bridge as well as iron workers and the New York City skyline. In addition, the series includes a set of related materials bindered together with the title "Bridge of Dreams, Platinum Prints": about 120 transparencies, 65 slides, about 30 negatives, and ephemera related to publicity and public appearances in connection with the book's publication. (For conservation purposes, the material was removed from the binder.)
Arrangement Note
The platinum prints in Series I are arranged according to the page number in which they appear in Bridge of Dreams. These are followed by the binder of additional photographs and related documents.
Processing Information Note
The platinum prints in the series were processed by Holly Hinman and Kelly McAnnaney, circa 2005. The binder of additional photographs was a gift of Angela Dogançay in May 2019 and was added to the finding aid in February 2021.
pages 11, 25, 1986-1987
pages 27, 29, 1986-1987
pages 31, 33, 1986-1987
pages 61, 67, 1986-1987
pages 71, 75, 1986-1987
Binder content: "Bridge of Dreams: Platinum Prints", 1986-1987, 1999-2000, inclusive
Series II. Photographs, Negatives, Contact Prints, and Slides, 1983-2006 (bulk, 1983-1988), inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
Series II makes up the bulk of this collection. It consists of black & white and color negatives, contact prints, black & white and color photographs, and color slides.
There are images of steel workers restoring the Brooklyn Bridge and of the New York City skyline taken from a high vantage point on the bridge as Dogancay was known to climb as the workers did.
There are numerous images that display the iron workers climbing the iron skeletons of buildings, often without wearing a harness. Iron workers are also shown in their downtime on a break or eating lunch.
The Lipstick Building (885 Third Avenue in Manhattan) is a highlight of this series. There are images of the demolition of previous structures, the rebuilding of the foundation, the various stages of construction (especially of the iron skeleton) from within the structure as well as from many different viewpoints from surrounding streets and buildings. Images of the completed Lipstick Building are also included. The Citicorp Building (also known as Citicorp Center or as 601 Lexington Avenue) is also a highlight of this series; because of its proximity to the Lipstick Building it is found in a great deal of images.
Construction images that did not include these two buildings were also taken in the general Midtown Manhattan area, except for some images toward the end of the series that were taken in France. Also at the end of the series there are larger photographs of similar subject matter found throughout this series.
Many of the binders that the work was originally organized in were labeled 'Iron Workers' on the outside while inside of the binders many of the sleeves of negatives had 'steel workers' written on them. It is uncertain if the terms 'iron workers' and 'steel workers' were purposely being distinguished or if they were used interchangeably. When not specifically documented as 'iron workers' or 'steel workers', they are referred to as workers in the following Scope and Contents Notes. In some cases these workers are general construction workers, but it is likely that many of the unlabeled workers are iron workers or steel workers.
Arrangement Note
The majority of this series came to N-YHS in binders and that arrangement and order was kept intact. The last four entries in this series on the Container List came in various boxes and folders, but their groupings were also kept together to reflect the original organization.
Binder #1, 1983-1986
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #1 was labeled: Lipstick Bldg; Citicorp.
Additional subject matter includes: demolition, construction, steel workers, cranes, 53rd St. & 3rd Ave., 53rd St. & Lexington Ave., and 57th St. & Lexington Ave.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Binder #2 (3 folders), 1985-1987
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #2 was labeled: Iron Workers.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, and Brooklyn Bridge.
Contains 8 x 10 inch color prints, 8 x 10 inch & smaller silver gelatin prints, 4 x 5 inch black & white negatives, 1 color negative, and color slides.
Binder #3 (2 folders), 1986-1999 (bulk, 1986-1988)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #3 was labeled: Brooklyn Bridge.
Additional subject matter includes: steel workers, NYC skyline, World Trade Center, Twin Towers, and Brooklyn Bridge cables.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints, 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 inch color and black & white negatives, and color slides.
Binder #4 (3 folders), 1986-1987
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #4 was labeled: Brooklyn Bridge; Iron Workers.
Additional subject matter includes: Brooklyn Bridge in the snow, Brooklyn Bridge cables, NYC skyline, World Trade Center, Twin Towers.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints, 4 x 5 inch black & white negatives, and 8 x 10 inch silver gelatin prints.
Binder #5 (3 folders), 1983-1986
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #5 was labeled: 57th @ Lexington Ave.; 53rd @ Lexington Ave.; 44th @ Lexington Ave.; 58th @ Madison Ave.; 44th @ Madison Ave.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, demolition, cranes, and steel workers.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Citicorp Etc.; Lipstick Bldg (3 folders), 1980s?
Scope and Contents Note
The binder was labeled Citicorp Etc.; Lipstick Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, demolition, cranes, iron workers, and construction workers.
Contains 8 x 10 inch & smaller silver gelatin prints and 1 8 x 10 inch color print.
New York (2 folders), 1984-1988
Scope and Contents Note
The Binder was labeled: New York; Demolition; Foundations; Lipstick Bldg.; Lexington Ave. Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, construction workers, cranes, 52nd St. & 53rd St. and Lexington Ave., 53rd St. & 3rd Ave., 57th St. & Lexington Ave., 54th St. & 2nd Ave., and 49th St. & 8th Ave.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints, color slides, and 2-1/4 x 2-1/4 color transparency film.
Iron Workers; Lipstick Bldg (2 folders), 1985-2002 (bulk, 1985-1986)
Scope and Contents Note
The Binder was labeled: Iron Workers; Lipstick Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, hard hats, climbing, 58th St. & 59th St. and 3rd Ave.
Contains color slides.
Binder #1 (2 folders), 1985-1987
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #1 was labeled: Iron Workers; 53rd @ 3rd; 135 E 57th St.; 650 Madison Ave.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, steel workers, Lipstick Building, 44th St. & Lexington Ave., and the Chrysler Building.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Binder #2 (3 folders), 1985-1988
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #2 was labeled: Iron Workers; 53rd @ 3rd; 135 E 57th St.; 650 Madison Ave.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, steel workers, Lipstick Building, 58th St. & Madison Ave., 54th St. & Madison Ave., 57th St. & Lexington Ave., 53rd St. & Lexington Ave., 49th St. & 8th Ave., 44th St. & Madison Ave., 44th St. & Lexington Ave., and the Chrysler Building.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Binder #3 (2 folders), 1985-1999 (bulk, 1985-1987)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #3 was labeled: Iron Workers; 53rd @ 3rd; 135 E 57th St.; 650 Madison Ave.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, steel workers, Lipstick Building, 53rd St. & Lexington Ave., 58th St. & Madison Ave., 57th St. & Lexington Ave., 49th St. & 8th Ave., 44th St. & Lexington Ave., and the Chrysler Building.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Binder #4 (2 folders), 1984-1987
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #4 was labeled: Iron Workers; 53rd @ 3rd; 135 E 57th St.; 650 Madison Ave.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, steel workers, Lipstick Building, 58th St. & Madison Ave., 57th St. & Lexington Ave., 53rd St. & Lexington Ave., 49th St. & 8th Ave., 44th St. & Madison Ave., 54th St. & Madison Ave., 44th St. & Lexington Ave., and the Chrysler Building.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Binder #5 (3 folders), 1984-1989 (bulk, 1984-1987)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #5 was labeled: Iron Workers; 53rd @ 3rd; 135 E 57th St.; 650 Madison Ave.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, steel workers, Lipstick Building, 54th St. & 2nd Ave., 52nd St. & 53rd St. and Lexington Ave.
Contains 35mm black & white negatives with corresponding contact prints.
Binder #6 (2 folders), 1983-1987
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #6 was labeled: Lexington @ 53 ST.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, demolition, cranes, workers, Lipstick Building, 54th St. & 2nd Ave., and 52nd St. & Lexington Ave.
Contains color slides.
Binder #7 (3 folders), 1984-2002 (bulk, 1984-1988)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #7 was labeled: Iron Workers; Lipstick Bldg; Best.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, 53rd @ 3rd, Brooklyn Bridge, 137 East 57th St., 650 Madison Ave., 52nd St. & Lexington Ave, and the Chrysler Building.
Contains (17) 4 x 5 inch color negatives, (1) 4 x 5 inch black & white negative, (2) 8 x 10 inch silver gelatin prints, (5) 8 x 10 inch color prints, and color slides.
Binder #8 (2 folders), 1983-1986
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #8 was labeled: Lipstick Bldg (53rd @ 3rd Ave).
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, demolition, workers, and 54th Street.
Contains color slides.
Binder #9 (2 folders), 1985
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #9 was labeled: Lipstick Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, 53rd @ 3rd, and workers.
Contains color slides.
Binder #10 (2 folders), 1985-1990 (bulk, 1985)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #10 was labeled: Lipstick Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, scaffolding, and 53rd @ 3rd. Most of the images from this binder are views of the outside of the Lipstick Building from different views.
Contains color slides.
Binder #11 (2 folders), 1985
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #11 was labeled: Lipstick Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, and 53rd @ 3rd. Most of the images from this binder are views of the outside of the Lipstick Building from different views.
Contains color slides.
Binder #12 (2 folders), 1984-1986
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #12 was labeled: Lipstick Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, scaffolding, and 53rd @ 3rd. There are images from this binder which show the final stages of the construction of the Lipstick Building.
Contains color slides.
Binder #13 (2 folders), 1984-1987 (bulk, 1984-1985)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #13 was labeled: Citicorp Bldg.
Additional subject matter includes: construction, cranes, and workers. The images from this binder are not of the construction of the Citicorp Building, rather the Citicorp Building is in the background of construction for a building adjacent to it.
Contains (4) 8 x 10 inch silver gelatin prints and color slides.
Binder #14 (2 folders), 1985
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #14 was labeled: Crane.
Additional subject matter includes: construction and workers.
Contains color slides.
Binder #15, 1985-2006 (bulk, 1985)
Scope and Contents Note
Binder #15 was labeled: Crane.
Additional subject matter includes: construction and workers.
Contains color slides.
Iron Workers Prints (3 folders), 1983-2006?
Scope and Contents Note
These photographs were originally housed in a Kodak paper box labeled: Iron Workers: Color Prints: excellent.
Additional subject matter includes: cranes, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge cables, Twin Towers, World Trade Center, NYC skyline, and the Chrysler Building.
Contains 8 x 10 inch silver gelatin and color prints.
Montparnasse, France, 1985, 1989
Scope and Contents Note
These prints were in preparation for work on the exhibition, Tale of Two Cities.
These photographs are of demolition in France and iron workers in New York.
Contains (10) 8 x 10 inch & smaller color prints and (6) 8 x 10 inch & smaller silver gelatin prints.
"Foundations: New York - Paris", 1980s?
Scope and Contents Note
The "Foundations: New York - Paris" portfolio contains 11 x 14 silver gelatin prints depicting demolition of foundations of buildings and the early stages of preparing the foundation for new buildings in New York and Paris.
"The Brooklyn Bridge -- 1986" and "Ironworkers -- Manhattan, 1986", 1986, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Portfolio of 37 silver gelatin prints, mostly 11 x 14 inch, with some smaller. Some signed.
Immediate Source of Acquisition:
Gift of Angela Dogançay, May 2019. Added to finding aid in February 2021.
"A Forgotten Hero: The American Iron Worker", 1980s-1990s, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Portfolio of 8x11 inch photographs, several in color.
Immediate Source of Acquisition:
Gift of Angela Dogançay, May 2019. Added to finding aid in February 2021.
Binder content: "Brooklyn Bridge -- JFK" (Brooklyn Bridge As Never Seen Before) (3 folders), 1997-1999, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Primarily includes photographs (prints, negatives, slides, contact sheets)and other material related to the exhibition of Dogancay's Brooklyn Bridge work at the JFK International Arrivals Terminal in 1999. Other material includes correspondence, the original agreement, publicity, photographs of the installation process, and related documents leading to the exhibition. A set of color snapshots are views of the installation and the public. The exhibition was previously installed at the Duggel Gallery and the file includes ephemera related to that location. (The material was removed from its plastic binder for conservation reasons.)
Immediate Source of Acquisition:
Gift of Angela Dogançay, May 2019. Added to finding aid in February 2021.
Miscellaneous Large Prints, 1983-2009?
Scope and Contents Note
2 platinum prints of torn wall posters - "Contra Diction" and "Dough Nation"
13 gelatin silver prints (16 x 20 inches and smaller) - Subject matter includes: Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge cables, iron workers, cranes, and the Chrysler Building.
2 exhibition sketches (1 original and 1 photocopy) - The original includes seven (one of which is missing) cut out black and white photocopies of Dogançay's iron worker photographs pasted to the walls of the exhibition sketch. In the middle of the gallery space there is a color drawing depicting three iron workers at work on the beginnings of a skeleton of a building. Based on the placement of this drawing in the middle of the room it is presumed that this is a sculptural piece that the exhibition is centered around.
Brooklyn Bridge. Large Prints (5 oversize folders), 1980s?, inclusive
Scope and Contents
25 gelatin silver photographs, removed from matting, each measuring about 44 x 30 inches. All signed by Dogançay and numbered 1/10. Images of construction workers, netting, walkways, cables, pedestrians on the bridge walkways during construction work, and the like.
Immediate Source of Acquisition:
Gift of Angela Dogançay, July 2019. Added to finding aid in September 2019.
Series III. "Scratchity" Sketchbooks, 1996-2009, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
The "Scratchity" Sketchbooks (aka scratchiti) have sketches of grafitti, "vandalism," and posters that Dogançay came across on subway station walls, subway train windows and walls, as well as other walls of New York City. There is one exception with Dogancay's 2009 sketchbook which contains sketches from various countries. For the most part the sketches are of phrases, words, or combinations of letters. These combinations of letters likely meant something to someone. There are some sketches of designs/figures, color sketches of the tiled subway walls, and magazine clippings, mostly of people, included in the sketchbooks.
Arrangement Note
The "Scratchity" Sketchbooks were organized by size and date.
Sketchbooks (12 volumes), 1996-2002
Scope and Contents Note
(1) 1996-1997, (1) 1997, (1) 1998, (1) 1998-1999, (1) 1999, (4) 2000, (2) 2001, (1) 2002
Sketchbooks (14 volumes), 2002-2009
Scope and Contents Note
(5) 2002, (3) 2003, (1) 2005, (1) 2006, (3) 2007, (1) 2009
Sketchbooks (10 volumes), 1998-2008
Scope and Contents Note
This box contains larger sketchbooks.
(1) 1998, (1) 1998-1999, (1) 1999, (1) 1998/2001, (2) 2000, (1) 2001, (1) 2005, (1) 2007, (1) 2008
Series IV. Books and Other Print Matter, 1986-2008, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents Note
This series contains various books and other printed materials related to Burhan Dogançay's (Dogancay) artwork. There is an itemized list in the Container List.
"Amazing Art of Photography: His Times and His Passions", 2014
Scope and Contents
Oversize booklet issued by the Dogançay Museum in connection with the posthumous exhibition of his work, "Unseen Photography." Includes a chronology of the photographer's life and career.
Dogançay Museum Brochure (2 copies), circa 2005?
New York Subway Walls Exhibition Booklet, Radio House Gallery, New York, 2002
"Cowboys of the Sky" - New York Times Newspaper Clipping, 2001 January 28
"Homage to the Iron Workers", undated
Scope and Contents Note
Includes a photocopy of Dogançay's statement regarding his work, with photocopies of photographs from a related exhibition.
"New York, New Heights: A Tribute to the American Iron Worker", 1996, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Booklet issued in connection with an exhibition of Dogançay's photographs at the Hooks-Epstein Galleries in Houston, Texas, with reprint of article about the exhibition from The Turkish Times (in English).
The Paris Review, Number 134, 1995
Scope and Contents Note
Includes Dogançay's drawing Detour on the cover.
"Derimod Kultur Merkezi", 1991
Scope and Contents
Booklet of photographs that appears to have been issued in connection with an exhibition in Istanbul.
"Engineering News-Record", 1985
Scope and Contents
Magazine issue of September 5, 1985, with Dogançay color photograph of Lipstick Building construction on cover, and 3 other photos on pages 22, 23, 24.
Various ephemera, 1996-2017, inclusive
Scope and Contents
Exhibition and other postcard announcements, and other similar matter.
Roy Moyer, Dogançay, 1986
Eleanor Flomenhaft and Whispering Walls, Dogançay: Doors & Walls, 1997
Ursula Blanchebarbe, Burhan Dogançay: Walls of the World, 2003
Richard Vine, Burhan Dogançay: Works on Paper 1950-2000, 2003
Brandon Taylor, Urban Walls: A Generation of Collage in Europe & America, 2008
Series V. Memorabilia, 1980s?, inclusive
Extent
Scope and Contents
The series includes 3 hard hats, including the "American steel erectors" hat that Dogancay is seen wearing in some photographs, and part of a screw from the Brooklyn Bridge.