Çiçek ve Biber / Flower and Pepper, 2022
Oya (needle lace) with thread, dye. 14x11.5in, framed

See other works from the exhibition Biber Bahçesi / Pepper Garden at Access Gallery, Vancouver

Knots and Syllables is a series of works made with an intricate lace technique called oya, traditional to Anatolia (Turkey) and made by knotting. Oya is used in many parts of Anatolia to decorate the edges of scarves, worn mostly by women. The rich iconography of oya often highlights a marginalized relationship with the limits of language. Red hot peppers, for instance, symbolize anger that cannot be -or socially prohibited from being- expressed with words. The varied compositions in this series explore various dimensions of collective anger -and hope- that may at times extend beyond language’s expressive potential.

Related works: Pepper Mountain, Red Garden, Pepper Garden