Some Irises from the exhibition...
Ceramic wall plates, hand built, 1020-1040 C*...

"Auspicious Irises Sinister Sences"
Özgür Ceren Can
One Person Show,2006
Çengelhan Rahmi M. Koç Museum Art Gallery, Ankara...

WHAT DOES THE ARTIST WANT TO SAY HERE?
OR, WHAT IS LEFT IN HER MIND FROM THE BLACK COVERED DICTIONARY…

Iris: The colored part of the eye that consists of a thin, colored membrane between the cornea and the lens that can be stretched is called the iris. Its color can be hidden by contact lenses. It is possible that a blue iris can get rid of the slanders of being an evil eye by putting on a brown lens.

Evil eye: Although the concept is prejudiced to the eyes with blue iris layer or blind eyes, the eyes that are believed to harm by their looks, the eyes of whose expression is impressive or masked are called the evil eye. You will look right in the eye of it when you turn your head and look around in the twinkling of an eye while smiling to the objective of a camera in the most smiling moments of your chronologic life story.

Touch of evil eye: When the patch worked parcels of life that are for everyone such as “the smell of the soil after the rain”, “grain ears as tall as human beings”, “very green meadows adorned with flowers”, “deep blue sea and the brightly shining sky” and “a velvet night, the moon and the stars” suddenly break down, when you stagger and fall, when your soul is destroyed, when your life becomes unbearable and when you feel suffocated, you know that you have been touched by an evil eye.

Evil eye bead: The blue beads in the shape of eyes are called evil eye beads. It is possible to buy them in any color from the hobby merchants of the 21st century who sell various kinds of beads. It is believed that if one puts on an evil eye bead, one will not be touched by an evil eye when there are evil eyes around. It is often seen on the shoulders of the vests of the babies, hanging from the necklaces and bracelets and the rearview mirrors of the vehicles, on the walls of working places, on the doors of houses, on key rings and invitations. The cocksure who forgot the evil eye bead at home should at once disappear from sight.

Disappear from sight: Retraining from the world around without letting the evil eyes realize it and vanishing into thin air in the moments that you shine on “the stage that is called the world” is called to disappear from sight.

Blindfold: The reasons that mistaken the mind and the feelings and that lead one astray are called blindfolds. One of the strongest blindfolds is envy. It can make one see red. The irises with the quality of being blindfold are expressionless and blurred.

To look daggers: The looks of the evil eyes with the aim of threatening, frightening and deterrence are called to look daggers. The best way of protection from being looked daggers is not politeness but being a ruffian a little bit.

To make signs with eyes: When an eye catching thing gets the eye of an evil eye, the evil eye informs another evil eye with its looks and this is called to make signs with eyes. This situation continues like a chain reaction among the evil eyes and then the victim is watched over.

To watch over: The shameless peep of the base ones that are not ashamed to fix their eyes on someone and the shameless peep of the impudent ones who become green with envy are called to watch over. The person from whom the looks never turn away, of whose behaviors are never missed and who is cornered without any vents to escape, should wash oneself after the watching over ends.

To look out of the corner of one’s eye: The glance of the sly eyes with their evasive looks is called to look out of the corner of one’s eye. Who knows which is more shameful: to fix one’s eyes on someone or to look out of the corner of one’s eye?

To catch eye: To draw attention and to awaken admiration with one’s beauty is called to catch eye. The ones that catch the eyes of others have a high risk of getting the eye.

To get the eye: Causing envy by being eye catching and being exceedingly visible is called to get the eye. Life must be hidden under a vast camouflage veil as every nice thing, every happiness, every abundance, every healthiness, every victory and every passion seen by the evil eyes will get the eye.

Right of the Beholder: When a portion of something that could be desired when seen is given to the ones who saw that thing, this is called the right of the beholder. You can give the right of the beholder from the fruits growing in your garden, from the meals cooked in your house or from the colorful latches you just bought. But it is open to question whether the right of the beholder can be given from happiness, beauty, health, love or the success reached with great effort…