Sennur Üzgen is a contemporary artist and the creator of Surrexpressionism, a personal artistic language that explores hidden emotions and unspoken narratives through women, symbolic elements, and psychological spaces. Working between figuration and emotional abstraction, her paintings focus on inner silence, repressed emotions, and existential tension.

Surrexpressionism emerges from the idea that light is not merely something seen, but something felt. In my work, figure, space, and atmosphere dissolve into one another; instead of clear boundaries, emotional transitions unfold. The image ceases to be a fixed scene and becomes an inner field of movement.

Light lies at the center of this language. At times it behaves like weight, at times like breath; it shapes space and makes emotion visible. For the viewer, perception relies more on intuition than definition. Therefore, the works offer not a single meaning, but a multi-layered experiential field.

At times, viewers attempt to translate this language into words. Some observations describe light as transforming into “an almost celestial breath,” with movement and nuances merging with a sense of mastery. Such readings suggest that the works extend beyond individual perception and touch a shared emotional space.

Surrexpressionism does not aim to provide clear answers, but rather to keep the viewer within a state of ambiguity. Because some emotions can only exist when they remain unresolved.

Derived from the words “sur” (beyond) and expressionism, Surrexpressionism seeks not only to express what is felt but to reveal what remains unseen—those emotions that have yet to find words. In Üzgen’s work, silence becomes a form of communication and the invisible self is brought to the surface.

Her paintings predominantly portray women—strong, defiant, yet fragile—positioned within symbolic and often refined environments. These figures are not objects, but carriers of inner narratives, lived experiences, and unresolved emotional states. Using acrylics, charcoal, oil pastels, and collage, Üzgen creates layered, cinematic compositions that invite the viewer into suspended psychological moments.

In her recent work, Üzgen has gradually moved away from figurative narratives, focusing instead on light, perception, and inner transformation. Her series Under the Mediterranean Light, Night Whispers, and the thirteen-piece Northern & Southern Lights series reflect the current evolution of Surrexpressionism. Within these works, light is no longer treated merely as a visual element but as an active presence moving between memory, existence, transformation, and perception.

The Northern & Southern Lights series, in particular, investigates the threshold where light approaches materiality and the boundaries between atmosphere and consciousness become increasingly fluid. Through these works, Üzgen further develops her distinctive visual language, positioned between emotional abstraction and metaphysical perception.

Şennur Üzgen currently lives and works in Istanbul. Her works are held in international collections, featured on contemporary art platforms, and presented to audiences across different cultural contexts.

Memberships: UPSD – International Plastic Arts Association (UNESCO – IAA/AIAP Turkey)..