Playing on the relationship between his surname and the country Turkey, Evil Eye is an appropriation of a national Turkish talisman. A coloured glass ornament the size of a pendant, the Turkish evil eye is based on the superstition that it can be used to deflect negative feelings, especially those of jealousy – the colour blue being representative of evil for this brown-eyed nation. The premise of the evil eye is based on a belief in the power of the gaze. As if simply looking or being looked at could irreversibly change a person’s fortune. It implies the uneasy relationship between the subject (the eye) and the object (the eyed). Except in this painting by Turk, the object is the eye and the subject the viewer, bringing into question, who is cursing who? Made with pouring paint, rather than glass, the symbol of the evil eye also looks like a Pop Art target, which could be taken to reverse the evil eye’s meaning.

Turkish Eye

Poured acrylic paint on tondo canvas 

Eyes

Painting

Playing on the relationship between his surname and the country Turkey, Evil Eye is an appropriation of a national Turkish talisman. A coloured glass ornament the size of a pendant, the Turkish evil eye is based on the superstition that it can be used to deflect negative feelings, especially those of jealousy – the colour blue being representative of evil for this brown-eyed nation. The premise of the evil eye is based on a belief in the power of the gaze. As if simply looking or being looked at could irreversibly change a person’s fortune.

Turkish Eye (blue and turquoise) signed limited edition silkscreen print by Gavin Turk. Produced as part of the live printmaking demonstration at the London Original Print Fair 2018 and as such each edition will vary.

A play on his own name, the print features the Nazar Boncuğu or 'turkish eye', widely displayed in homes, shops and businesses across Turkey to ward off evil and provide protection to the wearer in all aspects of their life. A prevalent part of Turkish culture, the turkish eye is believed to possess magic powers to protect you or bring you good luck. Nazar are often given as gifts to friends who have just had a baby, or moved into a new house, though sometimes they are given to foreigners as protection during their stay in Turkey. The Nazar symbol can also be traced back to the Ancient Egyptians, where the Eye of Horus was a symbol of protection, royal power and good health. It is said that when an evil eye cracks, it has done its job of protecting you. Reflecting the magical powers of the turkish eye, this print is available in an edition size of 29 prints, a primary number and considered magic in many cultures.

CCA Galleries and Worton Hall Studios were delighted to be joined by Turk over the bank holiday weekend at the London Original Print Fair 2018, where he produced the edition in a stimulating live printmaking demonstration at the fair's own Printmaking Festival.

Published by Coriander Studio.

Turkish Eye (blue and turquoise)

Acrylic silkscreen on paper

Silkscreen

Turkish Eye (blue and turquoise) signed limited edition silkscreen print by Gavin Turk. Produced as part of the live printmaking demonstration at the London Original Print Fair 2018 and as such each edition will vary. A play on his own name, the print features the Nazar Boncuğu or 'turkish eye', widely displayed in homes, shops and businesses across Turkey to ward off evil and provide protection to the wearer in all aspects of their life. A prevalent part of Turkish culture, the turkish eye is believed to possess magic powers to protect you or bring you good luck.

The artist's use of this highly recognisable image is playing with the relationship between personal and cultural identity, new and historical imagery as well as geographical ideas, faith and truth. A painting of a cliched, ubiquitous image of an eye: not even an eye – a curious eye – found in the bizarre – A Nazar in a Turkish Bazaar.  

The artist plays with his surname/signature name ‘Turk’ and the Nazar (Evil Eye) as a souvenir of the country Turkey. A coloured glass ornament or pendant, the Turkish eye is a talisman used to deflect negative feelings, especially those of jealousy away from the user or wearer. The premise of the evil eye is based on a belief in the power of the gaze, simply by looking or being looked at could irreversibly change a person’s fortune. It implies the uneasy relationship between the subject (the eye) and the object (the eyed). In this tondo painting made using poured paint on canvas - not glass, the curious eye might perhaps remind the viewer of modern paintings including Pop Art targets. 

Turkic Eye

The artist's use of this highly recognisable image is playing with the relationship between personal and cultural identity, new and historical imagery as well as geographical ideas, faith and truth. A painting of a cliched, ubiquitous image of an eye: not even an eye – a curious eye – found in the bizarre – A Nazar in a Turkish Bazaar. The artist plays with his surname/signature name ‘Turk’ and the Nazar (Evil Eye) as a souvenir of the country Turkey. A coloured glass ornament or pendant, the Turkish eye is a talisman used to deflect negative feelings, especially those of jealousy away from the user or wearer. The premise of the evil eye is based on a belief in the power of the gaze, simply by looking or being looked at could irreversibly change a person’s fortune. It implies the uneasy relationship between the subject (the eye) and the object (the eyed). In this tondo painting made using poured paint on canvas - not glass, the curious eye might perhaps remind the viewer of modern paintings including Pop Art targets.

The artist's use of this highly recognisable image is playing with the relationship between personal and cultural identity, new and historical imagery as well as geographical ideas, faith and truth. A painting of a cliched, ubiquitous image of an eye: not even an eye – a curious eye – found in the bizarre – A Nazar in a Turkish Bazaar. The artist plays with his surname/signature name ‘Turk’ and the Nazar (Evil Eye) as a souvenir of the country Turkey.

Nazar

Poured acrylic on tondo canvas

Evil Eye

Appropriation

The Observing Eye

Animated white neon mounted on a black box

Sculpture

A neon observing eye, based on The Observer, which lights up in sequence.

Neon glass bulbs

Signs

A neon observing eye, based on The Observer, which lights up in sequence.

Fright Wig Green on Paper

Self-Portrait

Masks

Faces

Painting of an eye diagram on bronze background.

The Observer

Silkscreen ink and metallic paint on canvas

Painting of an eye diagram on bronze background.

A bronze cast of a polystyrene cup with two burn holes near the rim &amp; painted to look real.

Bug Eyes

Painted bronze

Cups

A bronze cast of a polystyrene cup with two burn holes near the rim & painted to look real.

A poster of Elvis Presley painted over by the Artist so his eyes appear to be shut.

Elvis Eyes Shut (portrait that Elvis will never really see)

Acrylic ink on printed paper

Elvis

Work on paper

A poster of Elvis Presley painted over by the Artist so his eyes appear to be shut.

A page torn from an Andy Warhol catalogue originally showing Warhol&rsquo;s 'Self Portrait With Hands Around the Neck' and 'Self Portrait with Skull&rsquo;, altered by the Artist by painting over the image in various colours.

Portrait of Warhol with Blue Eyed Skull

Warhol

Dandy

A page torn from an Andy Warhol catalogue originally showing Warhol’s 'Self Portrait With Hands Around the Neck' and 'Self Portrait with Skull’, altered by the Artist by painting over the image in various colours.

Spectacle frames with transparencyslides in place of lenses

Slide Glasses

Glass slide mounts and spectacle frames

Spectacle frames with transparencyslides in place of lenses.

Ready Made

Spectacle frames with transparencyslides in place of lenses