Previous, Last… Inside - Işıl S. Gönen

Abraham’s Door – 80×80 cm oil and mixed media on canvas

Abraham's Door

Adam’s Prostration – 60×80 cm oil and on canvas

Adam's Prostration

Jacob on His Own Daybreak – 100×100 cm oil on canvas

Jacob on His Own Daybreak

Hud – Inner Connection – 80×80 cm oil and mixed media on canvas

Hud - Inner Connection

Isaac and His Willing – 86×80 cm oil on canvas

Isaac and His Willing

Noah – 60×90 cm oil on canvas

Noah

Samuel – 80×80 cm oil and mixed media on canvas

Samuel

Shelah – 60×80 cm oil and mixed media on canvas

Shelah

Lot – Nonexistence – 90×120 cm oil and mixed media on canvas

Lot - Nonexistence

This is the first part of the exhibiton series titled “Previous, Last…Inside” about the great work of Ibn Arabi “The Ringstones of Wisdom (also translated as The Bezels of Wisdom), or Fusus al-Hikam.” Composed during the later period of Ibn ‘Arabi’s life, the work is sometimes considered his most important and can be characterized as a summary of his teachings and mystical beliefs. It deals with the role played by various prophets in divine revelation. it comprises twenty-seven chapters, each dedicated to the spiritual meaning and wisdom of a particular prophet.

Myths are common dreams, experiences and images that human inner resources represent. Jung describes myths as “fundamental existence stories” and agents of archetypes and Joseph Campbell says myths are the metaphors of human inner potentials. Gonen presents us the contact of her dreams to the myths that are named “common dreams” with the company of the İbn Arabi’s Fusus al-hikam (The Ringstones of Wisdom).