Serra Erdoğan Paints the Future with the Colors of Anatolia and a Visionary Technique

Rumi, Anatolia, and the Future: Inspirations Behind Serra Erdoğan’s Masterpieces

Serra Erdoğan blends Anatolia’s rich heritage with her innovative “Futurist SS” technique, creating paintings that tell timeless stories while envisioning the future. Her work celebrates freedom, culture, and the human spirit.

Serra Erdoğan is a visionary artist whose work transcends time, space, and tradition. With a foundation rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Anatolia and a forward-looking approach embodied in her unique “Futurist SS” technique, Serra has carved a distinct path in the art world. Her paintings are not merely visual expressions but profound narratives that bridge the ancient and the modern, the tangible and the ethereal. From the vibrant hues of her exhibitions to the philosophical depth of her writings, Serra’s artistry is a testament to her boundless creativity and intellectual rigor. Her ability to weave history, culture, and futurism into her work has earned her a place in prestigious collections and captivated audiences worldwide.

In this issue of WOWwART Magazine, we are honored to feature an exclusive interview with Serra Erdoğan. From her early days as a writer to her evolution as a painter whose works grace international galleries, Serra shares her journey, inspirations, and aspirations. She speaks passionately about her connection to Anatolia, her exploration of futurism, and her latest exhibitions, including Colors to Sky and Colors of Rumi. Join us as we delve into the mind of an artist who paints the future while honoring the past, and discover the stories, philosophies, and dreams that shape her extraordinary creations.

Hi Serra, is this your first international exhibition?
Personally, yes, this will be my first international exhibition.

Why do you think your paintings have garnered so much attention?
I started by painting on velvet suede fabrics. Using oil paint, acrylic, watercolor, and primarily pencils, I create my paintings with a unique painting technique. This technique, which I call Futurist SS, incorporates its own painting method depending on the surface. I believe this makes me unique in the world.

Who inspires your paintings?
Anatolia is a civilization with a history dating back 18,000 years. I paint the future while staying true to its roots. The land I come from has such a rich culture that I think it gives me a great advantage. From Mardin to Diyarbakır, from Gaziantep to Şanlıurfa, from Hatay to Istanbul… If the world were a single country, I believe its capital would be Anatolia. There is no other geographical region that has hosted so many world civilizations. If you erase Anatolia from world history, the world loses its memory. It’s impossible for an artist not to be inspired by this land.

PHOTO: *Serra’s visionary artwork bridges the rich cultural heritage of Anatolia with her innovative ‘Futurist SS’ technique, creating timeless narratives that honor the past while painting the future.*

Why Futurism?
Futurism adopts the principle of stepping outside the boundaries of space, societal perceptions, and judgments. Painting is like water in the artist’s palm; it takes shape and form depending on where it is poured or directed. I think I am an exceptionally free-spirited person, even for an artist, and this naturally leads to originality.

Do your paintings usually tell a story?
Without exception, every painting has a story. If you are a futurist and, like me, a painter with a Futurist SS narrative, then yes, absolutely. Before humans even left caves or invented writing, they began keeping records by painting. The fact that someone painted on cave walls shows us that humans created stories through painting before they could write. On the other hand, the passion for reading these stories and the desire to carry the past into the future began in those caves.

You draw inspiration from the past, but what do you paint about the future?
Human nature will never change. Because of this, traits and actions will also never change. The desire to be admired, the fear of death, the passion for life, anxieties, happiness, joy, or sorrow from 10,000 years ago will remain the same. While goals and tools may change, the outcomes will always revolve within the same cycle of possibilities. You can draw inspiration from the past, but you cannot draw inspiration from the future; the future can only be painted.

Why Rumi?
The last time Rumi was commemorated internationally was in 2007 with UNESCO. Beyond that, he deserves to be remembered more often. He is an incredibly significant figure. Beyond his masterpiece Masnavi, his personal influence and societal impact are still widely discussed.

What about Rumi has influenced you the most?
Rumi is not just a religious scholar; he is an important philosopher, sociologist, and, in my opinion, the most concrete example of the migration from being human to becoming humane. I believe no artist’s work could ever fully capture the richness of his life.

The migration from being human to becoming humane—could you elaborate?
All living beings in nature, including humans, are essentially animals. They eat, drink, sleep, mate, and breathe. However, humans have a boundary that begins with questioning their own decisions and ends with the purpose of their creation. Anyone who questions this and applies it through Rumi’s framework will inevitably find freedom. I believe that as humans become more disciplined, they become freer. I can’t even imagine the opposite. We cannot remain indifferent to certain disciplines because humans are free, but only to a certain extent. No one is completely unrestrained.

What have you done related to Rumi?
I painted 11 of Rumi’s quotes. This is all I could manage, but it’s the best summary I could create of his life.

When Rumi is mentioned, divine love comes to mind. What does divine love mean?
Humans are composed of two parts: the physical (human) and the spiritual (soul). Physical love finds life in the body, in our skin, and believe me, even the deepest loves remain incomplete. But what about spiritual love? Let me answer this with a quote from Rumi:
“Those who incline toward worldly life are like those who try to quench their thirst with seawater.”
We were created not just for this world but also for what comes after.

What is your goal with your exhibition Colors to Sky?
We see blue and its shades in the sky, along with rainbows. But in my world, it’s not like that. The skies need many more colors and shades—at least in my world, the skies are starving for them. Our universe is 13.5 billion years old and deserves so much more, yet we, as mere specks in this universe, are confined to shades of blue. Don’t you think that’s unfair, especially in a world created by an artist who uses colors so masterfully? When you ascend to the sky, you are free, and only God can draw the boundaries of the sky. For me, coloring the skies with the tools we’ve been given starts with creating models—it’s the very beginning of the beginning.

Will Colors to Sky visit other countries?
This exhibition will become more colorful as it becomes freer, and as it becomes more colorful, it will also become freer. Of course, I aim to take it to many countries and cities. My greatest goal as an artist is to introduce as many audiences as possible to Serra’s colors, the Futurist SS style, and Serra’s perspective.

EDITOR’S HIGHLIGHTS