All about the Pop Art Art-character “Eddy”
The desire for peace, love and respect
In life we all strive for unconditional love, great and firm friendships, respect, acceptance and peaceful togetherness. While we can still find this unrestrictedly in our childhood with family members, it becomes more difficult to establish oneself when growing older. When experiences such situations measured by outward appearance, opinion and decisions, these impressions often shape ones life.
Ali Görmez too had the experience of rejection repeatedly in his childhood. It was not uncommon for the boys at school or in the neighborhood to tease him with malicious laughter because of his background, his dark eyes, his head shape and, in their opinion, too big nose. He was often left alone while the other guys were riding their bikes or hanging out on the soccer field. At home, Ali spent his time painting and drawing.
The first Eddy
One day when Ali came home after being mocked by his schoolmates, he sat down in front of his mother´s big mirror. To understand exactly what the boys saw in his face, he looked at his face for a long time from all sorts of directions. He took a pen and tried to paint his own head in profile from the point of view of other people. A first sketch of a huge head and a much too large disproportionate nose was created. But even though the sketched face was so different, he liked it very much and he had to laugh.
Further attempts to draw his own picture in the profile followed. The same picture was created over and over again. A head much too big, a huge nose and open, watchful eyes. But he still loved that picture.
Drawing calmed the little 6-year-old boy, because it made him dream again and again. He saw himself playing and laughing on the green lawn with the other children. There he was liked by the other children. In his dreams, he saw himself mediating between children, helping older people across the street or giving a smile to everyone everywhere.
Eddy’s birthday
It was one of the hot summer days where you could eat and drink nothing but cold beverages or delicious ice cream. Ali went to the shop around the corner to buy his favorite ice cream called “Ed” which he had loved since childhood.
But it was sold out. Since he had never had another ice cream that as great as this one, he looked for it in the neighborhood. But in vain. Anywhere he asked, he got told that his favorite ice cream was taken off the shelf.
A huge disappointment! The ice cream reminded him of moments of his childhood.
When he sat down to sketch another picture of his face in the evening, he decided it was time to give it a name.
“Eddy” was born.”
With the big nose the right scent
Since that day, the different characters of Eddy, previously shaped only in the head and created on sketch books, have literally bubbled out of the artist`s hands. And so you can find pictures of Eddy in every possible form of life.
Eddy is a great, friendly hero who brings peace, joy and friendship to the whole world. Young and old enjoy the art character, which can now be admired on paper, cardboard, poster, canvas or even fabrics.
For few years now he is no longer a lonely ambassador of peace in the world, but he has received numerous friends from the artist. Since the many Eddies are running joyfully and cheerfully, now a large group, on their two long, thin legs through the cities and countryside to proclaim their messages of joy and peace.
Eddy goes to school
Ali Görmez deliberately chooses colorful patterns as it conveys warmth, joy and affection. Especially for the younger ones among us it is important to be able to receive this in order to enter into life strengthened and self-confident.
In order to be able to help them along this path, Ali Görmez decided to use his art to give children hope, confidence and respect for each other from an early age. Since the art figure Eddy grew up with these concepts it accompanies the artist in almost every project.
For more than 10 years, the two of them have been walking together to different kindergartens, schools, workshops and kids clubs to underpin their play of colour with knowledge of inner balance, friendship and peace.
The Eddies on the road
The Eddie community is growing and gets popularly more and more. The art-characters use to proclaim and convey their messages of peace even stronger and more loudly. In order to demonstrate their power and strength, the cult figures can be seen repeatedly in public spaces. For this purpose, the figures are lovingly sawn, milled and designed by the artist. Ali Görmez often receives support from children (by the age of 3-15 years) and young adults.
„My Eddies need each other and
embody the ideal of collaboration
across boundaries and barriers.
They represent dialogue among
people and between cultures and
generations.
At the same time, they are a symbol of
diversity and mutual appreciation.”
Large and small installations alternate. Sometimes they can be seen in the middle of the city, on the street or in the park.
Have you already met the Eddies?
