Interview: Petra Dippold-Götz
Luca Curci talks with Petra Dippold-Götz during FUTURE LANDSCAPES, third appointment of BORDERS Art Fair 2020, at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello.

“All my life I have been passionated about painting. Born close to Nuremberg I grew up in the city of Albrecht Dürer and have always been under the spell of this fascinating artist. I attended a private grammar school and my parents supported and strengthened my artistic and socio-political interest. Whenever I had time, I painted still-life, fruit and vessels – always fascinated by the liveliness and beauty of colors. Besides that I always had intensive emotions toward nature. I spent the summertime by painting ‘en pleine air’. To improve and refine my techniques I studied Fine Arts at the Academy of Faber-Castell from 2014 to 2018. Inspired by visits of museums all over Europe my art got influenced by ‘Informal Art’, especially by Emil Schumacher, Anselm Kiefer, Jean Dubuffet, Antoni Tapies, Alberto Burri and last not least by Jackson Pollock and Franz Kline. I am really into collages and assemblages of all kind. I work with acrylic and oil colors, depending on the subject. With passion I process heterogeneous materials as sand, wooden parts, trash as well as any kind of plastic. With my paintings I want to express a passionated joy about the beauty of life, the beauty of art and the beauty of our today’s world. But I also would like to draw peoples’ attention on current topics and issues, I want to make aware of the problems of our time like environmental destruction. In 2019 I was invited to exhibit in the Art Austria in Vienna. It touched my heart deeply to see my work in the gorgeous Palais Liechtenstein. Also in 2019 I took part in the ceremonial handover of my painting ‘Germania moderna’ to the mayor of Sovicille as a gift from the mayor of Veitsbronn, the town where I work. I am so proud that my work is now hanging in the Town Hall of this beautiful city in the Tuscany. This year in July I exhibited at ‘Azaroartspaces’ in Hamburg and I was invited to take part in the Salzburg International Art Fair in August as the only artist among several galleries. “Painting is not done to decorate apartments. It is an instrument of war”, Pablo Picasso, 1945. I love these words. They come from my heart”.

Luca Curci – What’s your background? What is the experience that has influenced your work the most?
Petra Dippold-Götz – Growing up in the Seventies in a social-democratic family I was a passionate admirer of Willy Brandt. We young people wanted to make the world a better place: we wanted education for the poor, the same chances for everybody, protection of our environment, a strong and united Europe in peace, no more racism and suppression… These are my roots, this has influenced my art the most.

LC – Which subject are you working on?
PD-G – In 2014 I began to study Fine Arts at a private university. During my education I had to work on many different subjects, but what touches me most is environmental destruction.

LC – Where do you find your inspiration?
PD-G – I find my inspiration in our daily life, news from all over the world inspire me most, photos of burning landscapes, of tons of plastic in our seas, of tortured animals…

LC – Did your style change over the years? In which way?
PD-G – Yes, my style is changing because I love to experiment. I want to try this and that, I love to work with heterogeneous materials, but my paintings are always abstract. I want to give the viewer the freedom to see, to interpret…

LC – Which art themes do you pursue? What is your preferred subject, if there is any?
PD-G – The themes of my art are whatever touches my heart and my soul. This is happiness, joy of life as well as the problems of our time like COVID-19.

LC – What do you think about the concept of this festival? How did it inspire you?
PD-G – I think these are very current topics for a festival, because our inner and outer world is changing these days. We have to get along with these new invisible borders, we have to accept big changes in our daily life. My first association when I hear “Future Landscapes” is the environmental destruction, that we see every day but the festival also inspired me to work about changes of our inner world.

LC – What is the message linked to the artwork you have shown in this exhibition? How is it connected to the theme of the entire festival?
PD-G – The message of my paintings is: STOP this environmental destruction!! Don’t let our future landscapes be bald, burned, desolated, dried up, devastated and without life. And be aware of building more and more borders and walls: borders between the rich and the poor, borders for refugees, borders between the religions, borders within Europe etc. etc.

LC – Do you think ITSLIQUID GROUP can represent an opportunity for artists?
PD-G – Yes, I think you really take care of your artists. I already worked with other organizations and galleries. And ITSLIQUID GROUP is really professional, you always help and support the artist. As I wrote before, I hope so much that we will have the opportunity to work together again!

LC – Did you enjoy cooperating with us?
PD-G – Yes, very much! Your director took the time to talk to every artist, it was perfect. In the weeks before Giulia answered all my questions quickly and carefully. Thank you so much! We had wonderful days in Venezia, we will never forget.

LC – What are your suggestions about our services? Is there something more we can provide to artists?
PD-G – Nothing, everything was perfect.