Introduction Speech by German Consul Christiane Cranshaw for Birgitta Volz' Exhibition in Aurodhan Art Gallery, Pondicherry, India

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear Guests of Honour,                                                     8.3.2010

it gives me great pleasure to be here tonight for the inauguration of Birgitta Volz Exhibition. Mrs Volz roots are in Germany and that - as German Consul - you will allow me to give a special mention to. Mrs. Volz started her career very early and already in 1982 worked artistically. By now she is an internationally renowned artist, who has worked in many countries in the world and whose fame has spread. She has gained many international awards. She had many exhibitions over the years, too many to enumerate. Her early exhibitions were in Germany, soon followed by those abroad. As today's exhibition is taking place in India, it is perhaps of interest to note how long Mrs. Volz' ties to this country have existed. Her first exhibition in India was already in 1996 in the Max Mueller Bhavan in New Delhi. Now that Mrs. Volz has made her home in Auroville, where she lives since 2005, surely many more exhibitions will follow here.

Since the outset Mrs. Volz art has been inspired by nature. Over the years and with her intense engagement with and for nature, the very soul of nature seems more and more to be captured in Mrs. Volz work. She started off with woodcuts and went on to prints of tree and bark. From there she developed prints of plants and leaves and now even jewellery is included in the wide range of her artistic development. Mrs. Volz uses various techniques to express herself. The size of her work varies greatly and even a size of 4 metres is possible. She lets the public share her intuitions and often makes them see meaning in everyday sights. Seeing her works, produces a strong feeling that some of the mysteries of nature are unrevelled in them… Today's exhibition of Flower prints promises a variety of beauty, as do the jewellery exhibits. Mrs. Volz's inspiration seems to be incorporated in this quote by the mother "Beauty is the manifestation of Divine in Matter".

I am very much looking forward to walking round as surely you all are. So I will come to a close. I am sure that visitors to the exhibition will abound. My very best wishes to Mrs. Volz and to the success of this exhibition!