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P a r t i c i p a t i o n |
| OP, the Cyclops by Vassilis Zidianakis “Bulls Eye Special, 2008” Exhibition 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT + Corporate Partners 26.01 - 16.03 2008 Tokyo, Japan |
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Eleven artists and designers are participating in Bulls Eye Special, 2008 – among them Katsuhiko Hibino and Tokujin Yoshioka from Japan, Tony Oursler and Tim Hawkinson from the US, Francis Giacobetti from France, and James Auger from the UK. The exhibition is curated and directed by Midori Kitamura, Katsuhiko Hibino and Kazumi Oguro.
Vassilis Zidianakis has created Op, the Cyclops; a free rendition of a giant one-eyed doll that wards off evil. Op the cyclops appears on a screen using SEIREN‘s original printing technology, Viscotecs. The doll’s name, Op, is inspired by the ancient Greek pre-fix οπ, as in optic, op-art etc. This protector from evil has been specially designed for the exhibition; he is a character-talisman and his mission is to protect 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT and the exhibition space from evil.
The identity of Op the CyclopsName: Op Species: Cyclops Profession: Evil Eye Warrior Body type:
giant Sex: a gentleman of course Vice:
voyeurism Hobbies: bird watching,
darts, he also has a large collection of
rare telescopes Personality: he looks
fierce but he would not hurt a fly, his
best friend is Humpty Dumpty, he
only eats pop corn, he loves Op Art
and enjoys karaoke Inspiration: self
portrait
The eye does not see
itself. It looks outwards.
The Greeks’ existential
perception of themselves
did not result from introspection, but from how
they saw themselves reflected back in the eyes of others.
The word πρόσωπο, denoting both person and personality, literally means before the other’s eye.
In Homer, seeing is described as an arrow of fire – one of
the primal elements – shot from the eye, like a ray of sun.
The word describing this capacity, δέρκομαι gives
rise to the word dragon and the image of deadly
flames darting from its eyes.Could the very idea of the evil eye derive from this lethal association of sight with fire? For many cultures the eye is where the human soul – a force for evil – resides. The Greek word for the evil eye connoted calumny, envy, accusation, evil.
The element of water is also evoked, however, since sight is the product of reflection and the eye a liquid mirror. Those susceptible to the evil eye are happy, beautiful, admirable, perfect. Constant protection form the evil eye is therefore necessary, constituting a source of inspiration in designing objects deterring the evil eye from time immemorial. The most popular of these talismans are the blue eye like beads found all over the Mediterranean which act like liquid mirrors deflecting the evil eye.
Πρόσωπο (prossopo) : the human figure, the face, person, personality,hypostasis.
Δέρκομαι (derkome) : dart a look. In ancient greek drakos means: eye, look.
Blue eyes text by Vassilis Zidianakis
Workshop for children
"Look me in the eye –
I am Op the Cyclops"Instructor: Vassilis Zidianakis (Language: French & Japanese)
Date: January 27 (SUN) 14:00-15:00
Venue: 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT
Intended for children from 6 to 12 years old
Could the very idea of the evil eye derive from this lethal association of sight with fire? For many cultures the eye is where the human soul – a force for evil – resides. The Greek word for the evil eye connoted calumny, envy, accusation, evil.
The element of water is also evoked, however, since sight is the product of reflection and the eye a liquid mirror. Those susceptible to the evil eye are happy, beautiful, admirable, perfect. Constant protection form the evil eye is therefore necessary, constituting a source of inspiration in designing objects deterring the evil eye from time immemorial.
