Alyssa Hightower
The evil eye represents protection and has risen in popularity in mainstream pop culture throughout the years. It is a symbol that has lived for a long time dating back to ancient Egypt and is known in almost every culture. In today's climate with Covid-19, there is a lot of controversy on if you should be vaccinated or not. I wanted to create something people can connect to by instantly recognizing the evil eye and protection from bad energy. This evil eye is yellow which is protection from bad health and is something we all need today.
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Art History Student Response to Alyssa Hightower:
By Diana Gonzalez:
My initial reaction to the evil eye icon was familiarity. I have associations with this icon that have to do with spirituality and protection from negative “energy”. Protective amulets such as the blue evil eye symbol are not just a new "trendy" symbol to wear today, they have their roots in superstition beliefs that date back to ancient Egyptians. This belief of the evil eye entails that people can cast the evil eye onto someone with a malevolent look, and this emits harm or bad luck onto the subject of your stare. In many eastern cultures, the evil eye often has the distinct shade of lapis blue to protect the amulet's wearer from someone giving you an "evil eye."
Medow, Norman B, and George M Bohigian. 2000. “Many Cultures Have Tried to Thwart the Effects of Evil Eye : Amulets, Symbols, Colors, Gestures Have Been Used as Protection.” Ophthalmology Times 25 (12): 12–.
By Alexis Macdonald:
My icon is the evil eye. My initial reaction was, oh I know that piece, because it is pretty commonly owned by people both that I know and that I have seen by strangers. The associations I have are that the evil eye is a symbol of protection from evil, it is a spiritual piece, and that it is supposed to ward off evil. What seems iconic about it is the deep blue hue, and the depiction of an eye in the center. The source explains the universal meaning of how the eye is supposed to ward off evil energy and offer divine protection, as well as show how culturally widespread its meaning is, ranging from Europe to the Philippines. The evil eye is a symbol of biological fear that was created from superstitious beliefs and enacted into the tangible world.
Migliore, Sam. 1997. Mal’uocchiu : Ambiguity, Evil Eye, and the Language of Distress / Sam Migliore. Toronto, Ont: University of Toronto Press.