The year when I was starting elementary school, my father declared bankruptcy and our stuff was confiscated. I remember the moment all our belongings were taken away and my mother was crying. We had a very nice house with a swimming pool. That was a turning point. My older brother and I had to stay at our grandparent’s house for the summer. There I was introduced to superstitions. My brother was very loved because he was the first grandchild. They didn’t care much about me and left me alone. I felt very free and without any pressure. I met cats and dogs and chatted with them. One of the staff of the house told my brother not to follow a beautiful rabbit or a beautiful girl at night, because it might be a Jinn (demon).
After I heard this I kept going outside to find rabbits and girls. Workers would find me far off in the terrain and bring me back. They thought I was a sleepwalker. The idea of Jinn became very important to me. Even now (showing an object he made) I call this paint Jinn, it fills the empty paint cans.
— Interview with Melih Özuysal by FvF in Istanbul.
