Warding off the evil eye

Brussels Gallery Weekend - Generation Brussels / 2021


His installation, Warding off the evil eye (2021), can be read as a shrine for the ancient deity Bes, who has been worshipped throughout different times and cultures. Bes was central to a cult of hygiene and was often depicted as a household protector. In the form of soap cubes, representations of the dwarf-like deity appear in a number of glass totem poles. The installation is a suggestion of a shower cabin and creates steam, reminiscent of a hammam. In this way, the artist establishes links with our contemporary hygiene culture.

Text / Dagmar Dirkx and Zeynep Kubat / 2021