Born in Izmir, Rugül Serbest received her BFA in Painting from Dokuz Eylül University in 2012 and her MFA in Painting from Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in 2019. Working across painting and sculpture,
Serbest has participated in numerous national and international exhibitions. She has received several awards, including: “Her Sey Seninle Ilgili” Solo Exhibition, Atelier Marvy, Izmir (2019); Turkish Contemporary Art Exhibition, AB Gallery, Seoul, Korea (2018); XI. Florence Biennale, Florence, Italy (2017); Nuri Iyem Painting Award, Evin Art Gallery, Istanbul (2016); 73rd State Painting and Sculpture Competition, Painting Achievement Award, Ankara (2016); and First Prize, National Painting Competition on Gender Equality, Izmir (2012). In her paintings, Serbest uses her own body as a form, engaging with issues such as the social position of women, female identity, and the image of women. By reaching beyond herself through her own body, she internalizes her artistic practice, reflecting women living in modern society. The women in her works gaze at the viewer with an intensity that poses questions without expecting answers. They appear stern, distant, and cold. Each composition presents a different woman, yet Serbest fully embodies the figure she depicts. She conveys body language and emotional states without disguise, she becomes that woman. She stages “the other,” yet at the same time, what she reveals is herself.