In this spoken word performance, we articulated a text that we have formed by applying the “cut-up” method, containing Turkish colloquial phrases used against “the evil eye” and made up spells in Turkish from various popular texts. We repeated the phrases 40 times, which is the traditional number of repetitions believed to be necessary to cast a spell in Turkey. As we repeat the words we stab 40 "eyes", literalising some of the phrases.

The evil eye, which is the gaze of the envious, is the most dreaded supernatural force in Turkey, as in many other cultures. In articulating the spells against the envious gaze using Turkish as a foreign language at a time when the English have chosen to leave the European Union to prevent the envious Turks from flooding their country, we hope to try an bridge/bewitch, the underlying cultural gap.

Performed by Tuna Erdem, Seda Ergul

Sound editing by Seda Ergul

Photographs by Eda Sancakdar