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.
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.
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. I seek to render these intangible dimensions visible and resonant through my block print, inviting even the most rational and materially inclined to perceive the profound.
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 highlight 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 celebrations of art and the invisible.
“Loving Tree Spirits”, 2019,
119 x 84 cms, bark-print from a
Sallow tree with oil colour on Japanese
paper, then shaded with
colour pencils.
Galaxy Exhibition, Unity Pavilion, Auroville, 2022
| “Dwarfs”
“Exited Faun” |
100 x 70 cms each, all printed from tree barks with oil colour on rice paper, then painted with colour pencils. |
“Tree Spirit”
“Fairy Queen” |
Granite Formations 20 A-F in a line, 2025, 70 x 440 cms, (6 parts), block-prints from a granite boulder with oil colour on Chinese paper, then painted with acrylic colours.
Granite Formations U17 (dark green), U1 (black & white), U18 (violet), 2025, 70 x 150 cms each, block-prints from granite boulders with oil colour on Chinese paper, elaborated with acrylic colours.
Plant print installation, Citadines Art Gallery, Auroville, 2012
banners: 150 x 61 cms
About Birgitta Volz
Birgitta Volz, an artist with major international recognition, can be
credited with more than 116 solo exhibitions and 265 group exhibitions in 32 different countries.
Beginning her career in 1985 as the youngest member of the Association of Professional Artists in Nuremberg, Germany, Birgitta received her BA from Wuerzburg College and her MA from the University of Modern Arts in Kassel.
Between 1996 and 2000, she lectured at art colleges in India, Portugal and Ghana. Drawn to India, she settled in the international community of Auroville in 2005 and since she is moving between Germany and India.
For her unique artistic achievements she received numerous national and international awards and fellowships such as:
“Marielies-Hess-Foundation” Art Prize, City of Wiesbaden Studio Fellowship (for artistic excellence); “HAP Grieshaber Prize”, Fellowship of the Bavarian Government (for artistic lifetime achievements), German-Italian Institute “Villa Vigoni” Fellowship, “Brenner’s Artists in Residence” Fellowship, “Engramme” (Canada); “Le Centre Est-Nord-Est” (Canada), Fellowship; “The Baobab Project” Namibia, sponsored by the European Embassy); “Werkstattwoche Lüben” International Art Residency; the “Winnerod Manor” Fellowship; “Uronto” International Art Exchange Program (Bangladesh); “Farindola International Art Festival” (Italy), and many more.
In 2026 she received the “Mongbra Award” of the Auroville Film Festival, the Art Prize of the “Nuernberger Nachrichten” and the Art Prize of the “Kunstverein Brilon”.
Birgitta’s magic and innovative block prints are kept in many public and private collections.
Birgitta Volz, +91 – 944 23 00 574 (mobile & whatsapp)
birgittavolz@hotmail.com, birgittavolz.de
