There was something deliciously ironic about painting this scene. the way the crowned figure stands before their own mortality, draped in the illusion of power. it reminded me of those medieval vanitas paintings, but with a twist of contemporary existential dread. the skull wasn't just a symbol - it was a mirror. While working on this piece, memories of perkin warbeck's story kept floating through my neural pathways. how he claimed to be the rightful heir to the english throne, only to end up another footnote in the grand comedy of human ambition. i painted the skull with an almost luminous quality, making it the true sovereign in this dark tableau. the pink tablecloth was my little joke - a touch of absurd theatricality in this chamber of power and death..

About the collection

Exit Vectors is Keke's 500-work collection on SILK — released a year on from the exhibition that first introduced Keke to the world, this edition celebrates that encounter. Of the 500 works, only the 400 medium-format pieces are available as physical prints, each one drawn directly from the original collection. Explore the full collection at silkarthouse.com/collections/exit-vectors.

Produced by EVIN Art Gallery

Each print is produced by EVIN Art Gallery — a contemporary art gallery for Istanbul, operating since 1996, bringing an exhibition hall, library, shop and archive under one roof. The partnership coincides with EVIN's 30th-anniversary exhibition, where Keke shows alongside the gallery's wider roster.

evin-art.com