Mehmet Lütfi Şen was born in Muğla. He completed his primary and secondary education in Muğla and İsparta, and his higher education in İstanbul University Faculty of Law. He completed his graduate studies at the İnstitute of Social Sciences Department of Social Politics of the same university.
He currently works at the İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality Culture Corporation. As part of his private endeavors, he carried out many national and international projects, curated exhibitions and museums. Since 1996, he has been giving lectures on art theory and poetics at the Art Research Center of Science and Art Foundation. His articles and interviews made with him about curatorship, modern poetry theory and culture has been published in many visual and print media outlets. He also contributed as the member of many workshops such as 3rd National Culture Council, İstanbul Culture Workshop, and İstanbul Museology Workshop.
He organized cultural events for Doğançay Museum with artist Burhan Doğançay. Along being the chairman of the regulatory committee and a member of the jury in the Fourteenth Doğançay Museum Art Competition, he was a member of the jury in many different competitions. He worked as the curator of Eskişehir Migration Museum (preparatory work is completed), İstanbul Taceddin Lodge Mehmet Akif Museum, and Bağcılar Çanakkale Victory Museum. He continues his museum work as the curator and concept consultant.
He also continues his efforts to expand art and culture in Sanathane thru civil initiatives such as “Culture Sharing Platform” and “Multiplying the Beauty”, which he is the founder.
Some examples of his design, application and curatorial works:
International Events:
Turkish World Film Days, İstanbul
Turkish World Opera Days, İstanbul
Turkish World Contemporary Literature Days, İstanbul
Luxembourg İstanbul Culture Days, Luxembourg
Damascus İstanbul Culture Days, Damascus
Cologne İstanbul Culture Days, Cologne
Tbilisi İstanbul Culture Days, Tbilisi
Aleppo İstanbul Culture Days, Aleppo
World Culture Expo 2013 South Korea Turkey Contemporary Art Meeting, İstanbul
Exhibitions:
Long Live Republic Exhibitions, İstanbul.
The Place Where Time Comes From, İstanbul.
Erol Akyavaş “Bosnia” Exhibition, İstanbul.
Nusret Çolpan Miniature Exhibition, Bursa, Luxembourg, Cologne, Damascus, Tbilisi
Sine-i Millet Exhibition, İstanbul.
Malik Aksel Exhibiton, İstanbul.
Reading Bursts Exhibition, Milano-İstanbul.
Aşk-ı Nebi Exhibition, Roma, Düsseldorf, İstanbul.
Mixed Turkish-Islamic Arts Exhibitions, Düsseldorf, Cologne, İstanbul, Bursa, Luxembourg.
Ali Toy Calligraphy Exhibition, İstanbul.
Mustafa Albayrak Art Exhibition, İstanbul.
Erol Deneç Art Exhibition, İstanbul.
Bedri Karayağmurlar Art Exhibition, İstanbul.
Panoramic İstanbul Exhibition, Düsseldorf, İstanbul.
Melling Gravure Exhibition, İstanbul
İstanbul with Gravures Exhibition, İstanbul, Düsseldorf.
A Map of Sound and Light (Tanpınar’s İstanbul) Exhibition, İstanbul.
75th Year of the Republic Exhibitions, İstanbul. International Ottoman Stamps Exhibition, İstanbul.
The Place Where The War was Defeated Çanakkale Exhibition, İstanbul. From Sketches to Paintings Artist Sultan Abdülaziz Exhibition, İstanbul, Vienna, Paris, Londra.
66th Square Contemporary Commentary for Traditional Culture, İstanbul, Luxembourg.
Kemankeş Turkish Archery Exhibition, İstanbul, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Belgrade, Novi Pazar
Museum Works:
Doğançay Museum, İstanbul (Cultural Events Director)
İbrahim Müteferrika Paper Museum, Yalova (Concept Consultant)
İstanbul Taceddin Lodge Mehmet Akif Museum, İstanbul (Curator)
Bağcılar Çanakkale Victory Museum, İstanbul (Curator)
Eskişehir Migration Museum, Preparation phase, Eskişehir (Curator)
Other Different Projects:
Basilica Poetry Nights, monthly event for 14 years, Basilica Cistern İstanbul
Ahmet Hamdi Tanpınar Days, İstanbul.
Kemal Tahir Days, İstanbul.
Cemil Meriç Days, İstanbul.
Sezai Karakoç Days, İstanbul.
Present and Future of Turkish Music Symposium, İstanbul.
İstanbul Middle School Art Competition, annual for 15 years.
İstanbul University National Literature Days, (İ. U. Student Culture Center 3 times)
New Books of the Year Fair, İstanbul.
Poetry Art Lessons, (Science and Art Foundation seminars for 22 years)
Conferences and Articles (Articles and conferences on design, plastic arts, curatorship, and poetry in different institutions) Workshops: he contributed as a member to many workshop such as 3rd National Culture Council, Istanbul Museology Workshop, and Istanbul Culture Workshop.