Vetrina #13 Mariana Hahn: Night Eyes

Part of the second cycle of the project Vetrina, the site-specific installation comprises five works, each offering an exploration of materiality and human experience, where time serves as a catalyst for transformation, reshaping both the artwork and its meaning.

The first piece, “Untitled” (2020), features a stainless copper plate intricately shaped to depict the outline of a reclining human figure. This work was conceived to represent the artist’s own body, captured through the imprint of sweat left during her running sessions in Paris. This act of leaving a trace is imbued with significance; as time progresses, the natural oxidation process inherent to copper gradually reveals this imprint more prominently, becoming a mark of both presence and memory. The pose captured is one often witnessed by the artist—a reflection of marginalized individuals sitting still on city streets, heads bowed over their knees, in a posture of submission and vulnerability.

This resonance between form and emotion invites contemplation on how copper mirrors human existence. Just as our bodies undergo various transformations throughout our lives, so too does copper transition from its initial lustrous shine to an intricate patina over time. This transformation highlights not merely aesthetic contrasts but also suggests layers of narrative within the patina—stories etched into its surface that resonate with beauty born from decay.

In addition to this evocative piece, the exhibition presents four more works incorporating salt and copper. These pieces consist of salt remnants crystallized upon copper plates, forming textured surfaces and craters resembling moons slowly falling apart. Inspired by the salt pans the artist encountered on Gozo Island (Malta), this altering process of evaporation and material redefinition introduces a meditation on time, erosion, and material memory.