Conversation with an Artist: Birgitta Volz

Profoundly shaped by transformative personal experiences at the threshold of life and death, I have devoted my artistic practice to explore the unseen realms of our existence.

I seek to render these intangible dimensions visible and resonant through my block prints, inviting even the most rational and materially inclined to perceive the profound.
My art work is distinguished by meticulously crafted prints of tree bark, stones, and plants – works of extraordinary precision that reveal nature’s capacity to mirror collective memory and specific historical moments.

Nature works like a memory stick. Central to my practice is the ambition to “make the invisible visible”, illuminating the latent stories embedded in places and the mythologies of diverse cultures.

Through my nature prints, I evoke the intrinsic essence of the natural world, once intimately understood by indigenous communities.

In this process, I approach each print with reverence. Some are left untouched in their pristine perfection, while others are subtly enhanced to high-light latent figures or narratives I discern within them.

My interventions are delicate, designed not to manipulate but to amplify the inherent stories waiting to be seen.

Viewers are invited to weave their own interpretations, often inspired to observe their surroundings with heightened awareness and a deeper respect for the environment.

The act of printing reveals the exquisite structures of tree bark, transforming them into captivating works of art. In some instances, the process leaves vibrant traces of colour on the bark, rendering the trees themselves as unforgettable celebration of art and the invisible.

“Wild Sallow Woman”*, 2015, 120 x 90 cm
Bark print from a Sallow Tree with oil colours on Japanese paper, then worked out with colour pencils.

Join us to experience Birgitta Volz’s transcendent vision, where nature’s hidden stories are brought to light in an enduring artistic statements that captivate passersby.

“Loving Tree Spirits”, 2019,
119 x 84 cm, bark print from a
Sallow tree (Salix caprea),
with oil colour on Japanese
paper, then shaded with
colour pencils.