The Coffee Lovers

The world's only artwork painted in 3,673 drops of aromatic Arabica espresso.

It all begins with the perfect bean. Arabica, of course. Softer and sweeter than rich-but-bitter robusta, with fragrant berry tones that tantalise the senses, it must be grown at a specific altitude, on accommodating soil, in a temperate climate that nurtures, never threatens. From Kenya and Colombia to the peaks of Costa Rica, the mountain is the bean’s best friend.

The right grind is essential. Not too coarse, nor pulverised. Not too fast, or all that effort will be lost, the coffee scorched, unusable. Time must be taken, and effort applied. Then, and only then, can you spread the coffee on the canvas, mix it into paint. Acrylic is ideal for crema. Emulsion gives body, dimension, and depth. You may choose to add sugar; the artist refrained.

The Coffee Lovers is a piece that exists only once, only now. It cannot be copied. It will never be remade. This is because it was poured, not painted, brewed, not produced. Comprising 3,673 individual flecks of espresso—1,189 of them hardened by h…