Coffee (Coffea arábica) anthotype by Mónica Páez Espinosa

“Wildlife whisper” by Mónica Páez Espinosa
Country: Ecuador
Parts used: Roasted ‘Galapagos’ beans
Application: Brushing
Exposure time: 10 days
Month, season and year: May 2022
Substrate: Photographic paper
Contrast of final print: ** (Medium)

Amount: A handful for each print
Extracted using: Grinding
Thinner: Local sugar cane alcohol
Layers: 2
Used to create image: Positive on OHP paper (personal image)

Challenges or observations:
The roasted beans are a little too hard to mortar, so I used a grinder or a blender to pulverize them. It is better to grind the beans rather than use pre-ground coffee in order to keep the original oils of the coffee. The more coffee used, the thicker the emulsion, giving a better colour hue. Works better on photographic paper than on watercolour paper. Once mixed with alcohol, the ground coffee was strained through a cotton cloth.

Instagram: @monicaapaezfoto

Any additional information you would like to share: The Galapagos coffee is very closely related to the conservation of ecosystems. Farmers help eradicating invasive species that harm endemic species as well as restore the ground with endemic species. Coffee crops grow over lava rocks and share the land with endemic plant species as well as fruit trees, giving the Galapagos coffee special organoleptic properties.