Gönül Sen-Menzel: “Art Is What Connects Us”

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Volkhoven. The art exhibition in the run-up to Christmas was simply dubbed a Christmas market.

Accordingly special was the event on the grounds around the Simultanhalle at Volkhovener Weg 209. In her studio, Gönül Sen-Menzel and the artists’ group “Köl-Tür” held an artistic Advent bazaar. Sen-Menzel is a co-founder of the group, which is made up of various artists.

Large canvases with expressive colors, abstract works among the sculptures too – visitors found everything here except the usual holiday decorations. Instead, plenty of paintings, photographs and sculptures.

“Photographers, authors, visual artists and painters are active with us,” said Sen-Menzel, describing the approach of “Köl-Tür”. The group was founded 20 years ago. The artist herself has had her studio in Volkhoven for just as long. “I would see our group as a circle of friends whose connecting element is art,” said Sen-Menzel. Guido Mosler, author and photographer and also active in “Chorweiler Art”, summed it up like this: “What matters is the attitude of the heart and getting along well together.”

Above all, the group sees itself as an international association. Georges Herregods and Walter Teunink, for example, have Belgian roots. They do not pursue a fixed style. They are open to experiments and to crossing boundaries, they say unanimously, deliberately leaving open what exactly they mean by that. The viewer should be given room for interpretation.

Accordingly, things were different at the Christmas market, but also open and familiar. “Our experiments are very important to us,” says Sen-Menzel. The painter is also an author and, at 62, is working on her doctoral thesis. “We have planned events again for next spring,” Sen-Menzel said, looking ahead.

Original caption: They also presented parts of their work – the members of the artists’ group “Köl-Tür” offered more than mulled wine and Christmas cookies.