Biography
Born in Adana in 1930, the artist completed his primary, secondary, and high school education in his hometown. He entered the Faculty of Forestry in 1951, but left in 1953 to complete his military service. In 1955, he entered the Academy of Fine Arts, where he worked for five years in the studios of Halil Dikmen and Zeki Faik İzer, graduating with distinction. Sanlıman's love of painting began in primary school, and he was guided by his Academy teacher, Latif Ariş, in secondary school. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, he worked in various jobs for fifteen years before settling in İçmeler village in Marmaris in 1977 and resuming his painting career. When the village began to be urbanized with new settlements and tourism, he returned to Istanbul in 1984. Since 1985, Tayfur has been exploring the human-nature relationship from a nature-centric perspective, attempting to depict the inevitable end of humanity through the language of painting. Using an abstract approach, he symbolizes nature, while his figurative designs represent society. Having held 30 solo exhibitions to date, Sanlıman left Istanbul in 2001 and settled in Bozcaada. He continues his work in his studio nestled in the natural surroundings of Bozcaada.
