Billi Methe

The creative process is evident in the works of Hamburg-based artist Billi Methe. For example, when exploding layers of paint collide with delicately applied gold leaf elements. The works, which are abstract in nature, also give the impression of a successful symbiosis of creative chaos and orderly structure.

The stories behind each of her works? There are. And they are not only profound, but all of them are in the context of what surrounds us: the universe.

When the plants on the ISS were all in danger of dying in 2016, astronaut Scott Kelly ignored all NASA watering guidelines and decided to water them. During his time on the International Space Station, he not only researched how plants grow and thrive in space, but also, through his own actions, cultivated the first "space flower," an orange zinnia.

Meanwhile, much further down on Earth, people are pondering the future of humanity's hunger for technology. The demand for metals is constantly increasing to supply us with smartphones, laptops, and other conveniences. Manganese nodules from the depths of the ocean could replace Earth's slowly dwindling reserves. But at what cost? And what consequences will this have for the deep-sea habitat?

Two stories that could hardly be further apart, yet are incredibly close. They both inspire us and make us think – and they exemplify what drives Billi Methe's art: the contrasts and parallels between the cosmos and the deep sea, between heaven and earth, between near and far.