When I visit Aygul Kosedal, I have a beautiful view of the canalized Schinkel River. A beautiful gray cat looks at me. Above the gray sofa hangs a painting of a whirling dervish. The dance, often associated with the Mevlevi order of the poet Rumi, is a form of religious meditation to connect with the divine.
Aygul Kosedal is originally from Turkey, then moved to Germany and finally ended up in the Netherlands. As a child, she always drew and painted, both at home and at school. She found life back then difficult. “I had no freedom. I was under pressure from my family and later from my ex-husband.”
Art as an escape
Art is a great escape from that life. Now she feels free. Aygul: “I didn’t have a chance for a long time. But I always wanted to live my own life.”
In her paintings, she makes the invisible visible, she says. “That way I can express my emotions, which I capture in my paintings.”
Bride in a wedding dress in the green heart
She creates both abstract and figurative work. Before me hangs a painting of a bride with a dress with a long train in the green heart of the Netherlands. In the background are windmills. In her hand, she holds a bouquet of red flowers. She points out that the wedding dress is made of fabric. She lets me feel it. It is indeed a puffed wedding dress, probably made with starch.
It’s also her key work, she says. It’s called ‘Dutch Bride’, because all her works have English titles. “It’s a symbol of the freedom I found in the Netherlands.” Diagonally across from it, to my left, hangs a particularly beautiful abstract work in various colors. If you look closely, you can recognize several people in it. It’s called ‘Souls in Balance’.
Meanwhile, the tea, in a proper Turkish glass, and two börek rolls are waiting for me. It tastes good.
How long has she been an artist?
“Since I was a child. I started as an amateur 13 years ago. Since 2024, I’ve been fully committed. It’s really helped me get in a better mood. I paint almost every day.”
Cobra Museum
She took a three-month painting course at the Cobra Museum. “I also worked with oil paint there, which I did in 2013. But these days I mainly paint with acrylics. It’s also easier for me to afford. My art isn’t just for rich people, but for ordinary people too. That’s why I charge a fair price.”
At the doctors’
She currently has an exhibition at the Bonaire GP practice in De Baarsjes in Amsterdam. See also the video. It’s her first exhibition. She immediately sold a piece to one of the doctors. She hopes many more exhibitions will follow.
Finally, what is her philosophy?
“Art isn’t just about seeing, but also about feeling. Art appeals to people’s emotions and imaginations. I forget everything when I paint. It’s real therapy for me.”
The exhibition at The Doctors’ (general practice Bonaire) can be seen until February 15, 2026.
https://www.instagram.com/kosedal_art
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