While the average painter may use oils or acrylics to produce their artworks, artist Elisabetta Rogai relies on the evolving attributes of wine. The Florence-based painter uses red and white wines to paint her dripping portraits of powerfully freeing women. Not only is it an interesting choice to use the fermented alcohol in the place of traditional paints, but it also provides a striking visual that continues to transform with time.
It’s the aging process of wine that adds a captivating element to each of Rogai’s pieces. She paints in vibrant purples and reds that, over time, mature and dilute into burnt oranges and browns. Though others have tried to capture the effectiveness of this medium in the past, it was through the artist’s own trial and error process that she figured out the right formula for maintaining some presence of color over time. She uses a water and flour mixture in the wine to allow the aging process to commence up to a certain point, before the image is completely faded.
I love the minimalist color palette, in the artist’s pieces, coupled with the transformative capabilities. I also find that the trickling streaks of wine provide an interesting aesthetic. Rogai’s wine paintings are currently being sold, starting at $6,400.
