• Giulia - original artwork by Gokcen Yuksek
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Gokcen Yuksek

Giulia

Giulia

$5,200.00 NZD
$5,200.00 NZD
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Artist Statement: 

I chose to paint Giulia Tofana because she is a fascinating but lesser-known woman from history.

Her story raises a powerful moral conflict over whether she’s a saviour or a murderer.

In the mid-1600s, women had very few rights and were often trapped in violent, abusive marriages with no way out. After experiencing a tragic childhood and the loss of her mother, Giulia made it her mission to help women escape these situations by secretly providing them with a poison called Aqua Tofana, disguised as a cosmetic.

She ultimately became one of history’s most notorious serial killers.

I’m deeply intrigued by the moral complexity of her actions and the desperate lengths women had to go to for freedom. Whether viewed as a heroine or a villain, I believe Giulia Tofana deserves to be remembered.

Dimensions: 600mm (w) x 900mm (h)

Year: 2025

Medium: Oil on canvas

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Quirky Fox

Gokcen Yuksek

Gokcen Yuksek was born in Turkey, raised in Chester and currently lives in London.

Gokcen is a digital sculptor and painter with over 10 years of experience in industries such as film, games and window design. She started oil painting in 2019 and fell in love with world of pop surrealism. She now focuses more on her own projects and paintings:

’I started painting to explore different ways to express ideas which were limited by 3D and to have a more traditional hands-on connection to the artwork. I use both of these mediums to complement each other and sometimes create mixed media artwork’.

‘I feel like art can take me out of reality and connect to it more at the same time, in a more raw and genuine way. It’s when I truly feel free and inspired, to create and connect, with myself and others.

It’s also a powerful tool to shape new realities.

My paintings are generally inspired by nature, history, tales and dreams. Lately, I’ve been drawn to create more paintings about my biggest passions, the ocean and wildlife, and to draw more attention to preserve it.

I create all my paintings and sculptures with the powerful feeling of the energy in that moment and time, so there is generally a wide range of scenes, colour palettes and topics within one show.

A recurring element in my paintings is a girl who has evolved over the years, to tell the story of the world she’s in.’