Hello 2024, Goodbye Malocchio
Even without the post-holiday rut, I love bringing out past designs to combat creative block. After being invited to participate in a new group show, Underground Armoire, I busted out my old Evil Eye denim and quickly fell into a research rabbit hole. Not only was this theme hitting all those New Year’s resolution vibes, but I learned how my Sicilian roots also have strong ties to this emblem - and how to combat the insidious malochhio.
Cornicello Fellow, 2023
Back in October, I was graciously invited to be a part of an all-female art show in which participating artists meld together art and fashion, particularly vintage fashion. I’ve had great experiences painting vintage clothes since I started dabbling with it in 2020 for an East Village Vintage auction. Taking that dive into hand-painted denim was intimidating, but wherever that toddler was that won my painted zodiac pants, they were definitely the best dressed on the playground.
But I digress…
Since 2020, I’ve done numerous painted wearables - a majority of them denim jackets. The evil eye symbol was a major design element on one of my older jackets from 2021 that had not yet found a new home. I thought this show would be a great opportunity to bust her out again, in front of fresh sets of (hopefully not-so-evil) eyes. Being that this project allowed each artist to display multiple clothing items and canvases, it was pivotal that each piece held some sort of theme. Thus, the evil eye became my capsule concept to weave into each piece. In addition to my 2021 denim jacket, I revamped a vintage denim purse, slick white leather boots, and of course, my capsule canvas, Cornicello Fellow.
This design didn’t come easily though. Besides the evil eye imagery itself- I was stuck. I had no idea where this prolific symbol originated from or what it truly meant. The evil eye is seen throughout multiple cultures across the Mediterranean, including my family's ancestral origin, Sicily. The common thread across them all is the belief that a person's gaze, fueled by envy or malice, could bring harm to others. In Sicily, there is a long and complex history of being invaded and controlled by various civilizations and powers. The combination of geological features, historical richness, and agricultural productivity contributes to its diverse and plentiful landscape - making it a prime target. The blue eye of the malocchio may have even been inspired by the light eyes of some of these invaders; green with envy for the lush and fertile land of this Mediterranean island.
Being that these invasions span from ancient times into the modern era, Sicilian culture was bound to have taken up some cultural protective measures. These measures, often in the form of charms or amulets, were developed to counteract this ill-willed eyeball. Some of the more intriguing amulet symbols portray things like fish, snakes, garlic, lock & keys, spit, and, my favorite, the cornicello AKA the Italian Horn. Maybe because they remind me of the angsty rock hands of my youth, I was immediately inspired by this DIY malocchio repellent. This fascinating history along with the new year energy swirling in the air helped fuel my completed capsule - including this fun and colorful, hater-proof piece.
Cornicello Fellow is meant to draw you in not only with its hints of rich history but with a nuanced message to leave that bad energy in the past - and keep that cornicello hand hot.
