Bettina Zedlitz, a talented German artist, explains the story behind this stunning Footprint collection that touches upon the topic of sustainability, as well as our place in the world. This article will help us understand how Zedlitz finds the freedom to express herself and evoke an emotional response in the viewer through art.
What is your newest series?
In my past series, my focus was clearly on nature as a language to express contrasts in life or atmospheric feelings. In my ongoing project, I focus on Sustainability as a subject matter. As an artist, sustainability is a central concern for me, which flows into both my creative process and my works. I believe that art should not only be aesthetically pleasing, but also shed light on current issues. For me, sustainability means a mindful attitude towards nature, which remains my most important source of inspiration. My works are meant to encourage the viewer to reflect on their own impact on the environment. In my series on sustainability, I aim to highlight the vulnerability of humanity. I believe that art can be a powerful voice in the discourse on sustainability, and through my work, I strive to contribute to this dialogue. The first works, called “Footprint”, will appear on Singulart soon.
What was or is the inspiration or concept behind this new series?
I find my inspiration outdoors. There, I not only encounter nature but also the traces left by humans. For example, I see trash—not just as something ugly or bad, but also as something aesthetic and morbidly beautiful. I try to capture this in my paintings. They are visually appealing, but upon closer inspection, they carry a serious underlying message. I also find inspiration through shifts in perspective or while traveling. There will be paintings reflecting these themes as well.
What’s the message behind your new series?
The message is: look closely. Beauty and transience, thriving life and vulnerability are closely intertwined. By shifting our perspective, we come to understand our own finitude.
What’s your personal highlight of the series?
This is still about to come. I have planned two paintings that will be my largest ones yet (2m by 2.5m). I’m really looking forward to it. A large part of these paintings will feature the sky, so I’ve been spending a lot of time looking up, absorbing the colours of the sky, the shapes of the clouds, and the perspective of vastness.
Moreover, is there a particular piece in the series that you’re most fond of? Why?
At the moment, I’m really enjoying creating the “Footprint” series. For this, I use a large number of bottle caps. My whole family helped collect them, and I spent a long time experimenting until they rusted exactly the way I wanted. Each of these works takes a lot of time because I have to treat them daily, and only after weeks are they ready for me to begin the final painting process. These paintings have a very symmetrical and orderly appearance, which is quite unusual for my work (and for me).
If you encountered any challenges during the creation of this series, how did you manage to tackle and overcome them?
Of course, there are always challenges. In this case, it was that the bottle caps wouldn’t rust. Whenever something doesn’t work, I dive deep into the problem. I research online, try different approaches, throw everything away, and start again. I’m not afraid to take the difficult path. For example, I sanded each bottle cap individually by hand to achieve the desired result.
How would you recommend a visitor to experience your creation?
Enjoy the beauty, understand the message, feel the unbridgeable contradiction.
What kind of engagement or interaction do you hope to have with your audience?
I like to talk about my artwork and get into a deeper discussion with my audience. This is for me the most amazing part of my exhibitions.
What’s next for you? Are you already working on a new series or project?
Besides my new project around sustainability, I’m planning to repeat the event “Kunstgenuss im Mühlengarten” which took place in July this year. This was a 3-day outdoor exhibition in the natural garden of a 320-year-old mill. It was a tremendous success and I started the planning for 2025 already.
Singulart Insight
Bettina Zedlitz’s “Footprint” series explores sustainability and humanity’s impact on nature through visually stunning artworks. Recycled bottle caps are an example of objects that Bettina Zedlitz turned into meaningful and sustainable works through her process. Based on the splendor of nature and the signs of people’s presence, she encourages people to think seriously. Taking the work of Zedlitz, it is possible to distinguish that the topic reflects the fine line between the concept of the existence of life and its constant struggle. This series is an extraordinary dialogue about art and environment because she pays passion, focuses on each and every one of them, and includes the process of overcoming difficulties.
