Kevser Ugurlu

Crossing The Red Sea

45 × 57 cm

Watercolour, Gouache, Ink on paper

Unsold

Suggested offer$750

About the work

This ancient story has always stayed with me—not just as a historical or religious narrative, but as something deeply human and still very present today.

In my work, I draw on ancient Egyptian figures and visual elements, using them as symbols of both oppression and quiet strength. Through these forms, I reflect on themes such as silence, displacement, and resilience—experiences that many people around the world still face.

At its heart, this story is about the courage to move forward, to leave behind what confines us, even when the future feels uncertain. It carries emotions we all recognise—fear, doubt, hope, and the will to keep going.

For me, this isn’t a story of the past. It lives on in every journey of migration, in moments of resistance, and in the ongoing search for dignity and belonging.

About the artist

Kevser Ugurlu began her artistic practice, where rooted in her upbringing in Turkey. From her early age, she was drawn to the world of art, exploring the fundamental principles through sketching human figures and experimenting with watercolour and various medium during her education.

Although she initially pursued a different career path in Japan, where her skills in design, creating logos, posters, and illustrations for books, but eventually circled back to her true passion after a hiatus of many years , and she returned to her first love- painting and drawing in Australia.

Today, she has been actively engaged in the art scene, and within a short time, the awards she has received and the projects she has taken part in reflect the strong revival of her painting life.

The body of her works is created in a semi-abstract and distinctive style, using watercolour, gouache, and ink on paper. It explores playful colours, fluid forms, and diverse expressions. The compositions often feature rhythmic movement, layered textures, and intricate details, striking a delicate balance between the figurative and the abstract. These elements evoke a sense of both chaos and transcendence, reflecting the emotional depth and complexity within each story. Her recent work, themed Exodus – Crossing the Red Sea, reimagines an ancient narrative as a timeless metaphor through ancient Egyptian figures and motifs. She explores oppression, exile, and courage—echoes of the universal struggle to break free from systems that confine us, a continuing story of fear, hope, and resilience.

Facilitator of various watercolour workshops in groups and private classes.

Kevser Ugurlu lived in three different cities—Ankara, Tokyo, Sydney—which gives her a rich background of experiences and perspectives that deeply shape her artistic voice. As a contemporary visual artist, she explores themes of migration, displacement, and searching for a homeland through watercolour and mixed media on paper.

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