Serpil Mavi ÜstünInnocent Desire, 2026

Oil on canvas

About the artist

’s paintings explore the quiet personal dramas of contemporary life, transforming ordinary moments into intimate studies of emotional and psychological complexities. Her subjects, often women absorbed in their everyday routines or represented through familiar personal objects, embody the fragile balance between vulnerability and quiet defiance. Picturesque moments that initially suggest comfort or pleasure are subtly disrupted by gestures of indifference, revealing contradictions between composed outward appearances and interior psychological states. Within these seemingly ideal situations, figures appear to take an ambiguous pleasure in unsettling their own worlds, reflecting the personal conflicts entrenched in the quotidian of everyday life . These unresolved moments invite viewers to question what has just occurred and what might follow, opening up a contemplative space that reflects the nuances, ambiguities, and solitude of modern existence. Mavi Üstün was born in Turkey in 1979. She studied at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul, and was shortlisted for the Royal Arts Prize in 2018. She has exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions in Istanbul, London, Paris, Dubai, New York, and Ankara. Her work has also been featured in Art Maze Mag, Istanbul Art News, and Maake Mag. Mavi Üstün currently lives and works in London.

About the artist

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