Bettina Werner

Acknowledged as a New York City living art legend, Bettina Werner, additionally hailed as “The Salt Queen”, is a much-admired pioneering artist from Milan, who creatively employs a salt technique as an innovative art medium throughout her practice. She is additionally known for developing a novel language of expression in art, translating as an atypical manifestation that is only discovered in some of the most renowned artists of our times.

Initial indications of her artistic calling arrived when Werner fell in love with her first husband; a young, handsome philosopher who, together, pursued her passion for books, art, and culture, thus igniting her spirit, intellect, and imagination. In relation to her preferred key medium, salt – the Philosopher Homer named the ingredient “The Divine Substance” and is additionally recognised to bring good luck, thus being a protector against negative energy. “When I invented my salt texture technique, through a complex process of amalgamating sea salt and colors I created into paintings, I found magic occurring in every single crystal,” explains Werner. “I adopted the minimalist philosophy of ‘less is more'”, she continues, “and when experiencing the artwork, one is able to fully appreciate the natural movement of the textures and depth of colors at its height.”

Having always attained an utmost appreciation for recognizing alternative mediums within the creative field of art, in 2002 Werner established the Salt Queen Foundation. The organization pioneers artists who experiment with revolutionary techniques and unorthodox materials, and being a mission she is committed to, Werner continues to advocate and spotlight these artists today and into the future. With regards to the artist’s next assignment, she vocalizes how her “next project involves an artistic bridge between Italy and New York through a museum and artist residency, alongside nature, water, horses, and the salt of the earth.”

An mixture of many prestigious galleries, private collections, and museums exhibit Bettina Werner’s artworks; pieces that are alive with the utmost texture and originality.

words by Katie Farley

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