Gönül Sen-Menzel: Mysterious Tinctures at Holweide Hospital

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Culture in the Hospital

Holweide – Colorful splashes leap out in glaring neon colors; lines and surfaces seem to merge. By contrast, the iron sculptures, scattered across the exhibition room like an obstacle course to be mastered, appear rather sober, at times even cool. Moments of stillness, captured in golden colors reminiscent of icons, bring these very different impressions together. Gönil Sen, Peter Stühlen and Usch Ziegler are exhibiting: three different artists combine the most varied genres and individual techniques into an overall picture that draws its tension precisely from this combination. As part of the “Kulturraum Krankenhaus” (Hospital as Cultural Space) initiative, the artists present their very own approach to the theme of “Man”. The eleventh exhibition in the lecture hall of the Holweide hospital is meant to set new accents: “A hospital must never devote itself only to the isolated illness,” says hospital director Horst Gausmann. “We want to promote communication. Art is, after all, a language by other means.”

“Movement and speed are the most important aspects connecting the three artists,” observed art historian Romana Rebbelmund, who introduced the audience to the works. In the case of the Cologne artist Gönil Sen, this is expressed above all spontaneously and explosively. Following the motto “paint everything”, she works with car paint and nail polish and, according to Rebbelmund, “with mysterious, self-mixed tinctures”. Music drives Sen’s choice of ever new motifs, which mostly remain hidden in shadowy forms.

Peter Stühlen from Bergisch Gladbach prefers a different way of working. “For him, the contest of strength between artist and material comes first.” The result of this contest is a fluid alternation between airy, skeleton-like spatial sculptures and powerful, heavy blocks. Stühlen’s works by no means carry the label “Do not touch!” On the contrary. He wants people to make contact with the sculptures, some of which can also be made to swing and sound. The children enjoyed that.

Usch Ziegler from Rösrath is particularly concerned with people and their inner state. In her pictures, often layered on top of one another, she scratches signs and leaves traces. These, however, are illegible. They are meant to encourage viewers to supply their own meaning. “The distance I create is meant to bring about silence,” says Ziegler. This silence bears witness to the thoughtfulness the artist wants to leave behind. The exhibition, which opened with music by the “Talking Horns”, runs until May 13. It will then end with a performance by Gönil Sen, who paints to the sounds of belly dancing.

Original caption: Three artists, three individual ideas on the theme of “Man”: Usch Ziegler, Peter Stühlen and Gönil Sen (from left) exhibit pictures and sculptures at Holweide Hospital.