Sonsbeek 2026 – Esma Yigitoglu

Artist

Esma Yigitoglu (1944–2009) was a Turkish-Dutch artist, known for her sculptures, drawings and paintings. She worked with materials such as paper pulp, clay, terracotta, straw, bamboo, rope and textiles. Her work was inspired by Sufism (a movement within Islam), architecture and symbols such as amulets, tombs, minarets and mosques. Alongside her artistic career, Yigitoglu played an active role in society. She founded the Turkish Cultural Centre for Women in Rotterdam and was committed to the emancipation of Turkish migrant women and the fight against illiteracy.

Exhibition

A selection of her sculptures from the 1990s and 2000s is on display at Museum Arnhem until 11 October 2026. The works explore themes such as protection, connection to the earth and the search for meaning. They are reminiscent of graves or monuments, yet remain abstract in form. Her sculptures are neither human nor animal, but seem to stand guard between the visible and invisible worlds.

Sonsbeek 2026

Sonsbeek is Europe’s oldest recurring exhibition of art in public spaces. The first edition took place in 1949, shortly after the Second World War. The 13th edition, ‘I don’t need a garden, I share a park’, centres on the theme of memory as a living act. Here, memory is seen as something that is constantly changing through what we share, inherit and pass on. The exhibition brings together 18 artists and comprises new commissions and existing works, including installations, sculptures and performances. The works are on display in Sonsbeek Park and at various locations in Arnhem.