KARAGÖZ (AS ART)

Karagöz is the archetypal Turkish “everyman,” and hero of the shadow puppet theater tradition that bears his name (a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage). According to legend, he was a laborer on a 14th-century mosque in Bursa, Turkey. Popular with fellow workers for his satirical jokes, he was executed for fear he might incite rebellion. The exploits of Karagöz and his more sophisticated sidekick Hacivat became the stuff of oral tradition, and have been immortalized in a style of theatrical production believed to have been introduced into Ottoman lands from Egypt in the 16th century. For centuries, Karagöz and other play characters have been beautifully rendered by puppet makers (hayali) and painters alike. We invite you to delight in images of this beloved rascal and his companions.

This exhibition was organized by guest curator Aziz Murat Aslan, an engineer, painter, author and Karagöz scholar & figure maker living in Istanbul, Turkey. Aslan is currently writing and creating the figures for “Seven Deadly Sins,” a production combining classical Karagöz performance with contemporary staging and story elements.

If you are interested in purchasing any of the artworks in this exhibition, please contact Aziz Murat Aslan directly at: azizmurataslan@hotmail.com (Shipping is additional.)

Click on the square thumbnails to view larger, full-sized images and to read Aziz’s comments.