Heritage Conservator and Artist
“These are the moments so precious – I am not able to put them into words.”
Leading with love
Bettina merges art and science in her work to talk about connection and consciousness. As a heritage conservator and artist, her work explores what it means to be a woman, mother and friend, navigating through life with curiosity and open-mindedness. Having lived in Singapore for nearly 8 years, Asian cultures and art forms play an important part in her work, from learning Chinese calligraphy to traditional hand-beading. Many of her pieces combine technology, electronics or sensors with organic materials to encourage her audience to interact with and evaluate the natural world.
Leading with love
Bettani’s relationship with her environment and the people around her, especially the bond with her daughter, often serves as inspiration for the artwork. Inspired by a quote from Rabbi Tzvi Freeman, “Leave your cocoon and give life to others. You will see that what no book could tell, feel that no thought could imagine,” that urged her to think of her role as a mother, Leave Your Cocoon is an expression of womanhood and motherhood – delicate yet strong, gentle yet unwavering. Ink on paper and beads on fabric tell of the intricate complexities and unbreakable ties between mother and child.
A butterfly painted on hemp paper; paper that’s so thin that some may think it fragile. But in truth, it’s made of one of the strongest natural fibres in the world, that resists decomposition and doesn’t yellow or brown with age. Such is Bettina’s love for her daughter. Encircling the butterfly are tiles of intricate beadwork, with patterns of different colours and textures that connect to a vibrant web of life, with beaded butterflies that link to tiles of their own like a kaleidoscopic family tree.
“The butterfly is a symbol of femininity and metamorphosis. The caterpillar doesn’t know it will one day change, yet it sees the world anew when it transforms. Life is everchanging but the things that remain constant are our relationships with ourselves and those we love.
And this ring always brings a smile to my face because it makes me think of my daughter,” she remarks about the HQ Butterfly R
The power of connection
Her piece, Positive Network, is an homage to her friend and co-founder of the Art Porters Gallery Singapore, Guillaume Levy-Lambert. It features thousands of beads symbolising every person Guillaume has influenced through his art and mentorship. Each with their own space and voice but all connected through a network of shared moments and experiences. This personal philosophy is what drew her to The Link Bracelet. Gold links in the shape of seeds represent the people that have left an indelible mark on her life and have helped her grow and see the world from different perspectives.
“The different relationships in my life have shaped both me and my art. I wear this bracelet all the time, especially during my exhibitions, because it was a Christmas gift from my husband and designed by my friend. It reminds me of those bonds I share and how important it is to keep them close to me,” she says.
Finding new meaning
Random Sampling Singapore is her latest project that aims to reflectively interpret our contemporary world and gain an unbiased view by sampling 100 GPS coordinates on the island, randomly generated by a computer code. Bias stops us from making connections, and Bettina hopes to reduce or limit these preconceptions when creating her art and find meaning in what is often overlooked. “Substances which wouldn’t necessarily have any meaning alone, become a symbolic character, with views that are enlarged and colours that become more vivid,“ says the artist. The challenge of reaching the coordinates themselves, with some areas being illegal or hard to access, also becomes a metaphor for managing life’s obstacles
Bettina expresses her identity unapologetically, through her jewellery, her relationships and her work. We are all so deeply interconnected and our bonds will always be reflected, both in art and life.
Bettina’s picks
Pieces that speak to connection.
BUTTERFLY RING
“The butterfly is a symbol of femininity and metamorphosis. The caterpillar doesn’t know it will one day change, yet it sees the world anew when it transforms. Life is everchanging but the things that remain constant are our relationships with ourselves and those we love. And this ring always brings a smile to my face because it makes me think of my daughter.”
THE LINK BRACELET
“The different relationships in my life have shaped both me and my art. I wear this bracelet all the time, especially during my exhibitions, because it was a Christmas gift from my husband and designed by my close friend. It reminds me of those bonds I share and how important it is to keep them close to me.”