Copper Whispers

Original Painting by Karin Lanini Arthofer
2024, Mixed Media on canvas
“Lull Rock” Series
116 x 73 x 1.5 cm
(45” x 28” x 0.5” in)
 
“Copper Whispers”, infused with coppery reflections, is marked by the presence of verdigris, emerging as a living trace of transformation and metamorphosis. The oxidised tones of copper, born from the meeting of metal, air and time, become an expression of a beauty shaped among the vines through time, care and patience.
Verdigris also evokes a childhood memory of mine, rooted in the land and in the patient work of my grandparents in the vineyards. It was prepared, diluted and carefully sprayed onto the leaves, as an act of protection and respect towards the plants. It was a quiet form of care, repeated season after season, requiring observation, patience and dedication. A simple yet profound knowledge, passed down through generations, preserving the delicate balance between nature and human intervention.
In this painting, that ancient gesture is transformed into pictorial matter and living memory. The verdigris is no longer simply a substance, but becomes a mark, a trace, a story suspended between past and present.
“Copper Whispers” thus becomes a reflection on memory and transformation — a work that celebrates the value of agricultural labour, of everyday care, and of verdigris as a visible sign of continual renewal, carrying within it roots, identity and a sense of belonging.