Biber Dağı / Pepper Mountain, 2021
Oya (needle lace) on fabric from curtain, black dye. 29x23 inches, framed

This is part of Knots and Syllables, 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: Red Garden, Flower and Pepper, Pepper Garden