In this troubled time of history, some people including artists are asking does Art matter? This is not a new question and it has been asked at various times throughout human history. As I consider this question today, I look to two historic artists who I admire, Kathe Kollwitz and Elizabeth Catlett, who both worked primarily in printmaking and sculpture, like I do, and who also lived in turbulent times. Both thought Art was a means of being socially responsible, and should be accessible to everyone, like I do. While we are not living during the World Wars, and the Nazi era, like Kathe Kollwitz did, we are still living during a time of inequality, like Elizabeth Catlett did. We are also living in a time of mass extinction, pandemics and what seems to be a war on wildlife.

So how did they, and how can we, make Art that matters? Kathe Kollwitz chose to champion those who stood up against oppression, for workers and the poor, using women as her main protagonist. Elizabeth Catlett chose to show the beauty and strength of women and minorities. I have chosen to stand up for a new way of coexisting with nature and other cultures. There is no need for me to make the case of why Kollwitz’ or Catlett’s work matters because they have done that themselves. I do urge everyone to look at their art and read what they wrote. I will try to make the case of why my work may matter by showing three recent series, To Be or Not To Be?, Star, and Quest, I created and the ideas behind them.

To Be or Not To Be? Series uses architecture and elements from nature to present two different paths. One path, on the left, excludes nature from the human-built world and the other path, on the right, includes nature. While the human-built world uses dramatic imagery and suggests our temporary existence, the elements from the natural world emit a feeling of hopefulness and suggests a continuing existence. Shown here are the first three drawings of the series, Mesa, Forest and Jungle. I will be working on Savanna and Tundra in 2022.

Star Series portrays a variety of animals that for some reason or another have become icons, or stars, in a sense. These up-close and personal works of art are meant to help humankind reconsider the wild and address the extinction crisis. Shown here are the first six serigraphs of the series, Evening, Morning, Midday, Rising, Sun and Light, Bright. I will be adding Falling and possibly others to this series next year.

Quest Series looks at different countries in a positive light. While one country, or culture, may try to demonize another for various selfish reasons no country, or culture, is all good, or all bad. One thing humankind can agree on is every country has contributed food that we all enjoy. That is why I used some of these tasty delights as the subject matter in this series. Shown here are the first three drawings I created, Chinese, French and Mexican. I will be adding to this series as well.

Art can be made for artsake, it can be done to demonstrate the skill of the artist to recreate, it can be made to shock, it can perfect what has already been done, or it can address the issues of the time it is produced in to help humankind envision a better world. I personally think the latter is the most relevant and what is needed especially in turbulent times. That is why I make Art that shows the need for coexistence, our fellow creatures up-close and personal, the richness that all cultures add to life, along with other Art that matters.

Kathleen Zimmerman