Michelle Copini

Michelle’s interest in photography—and her first camera—was inherited from her father, who passed away when she was just 14. One photograph she took that summer remains vividly etched in her memory: a pair of worn-out leather workers’ boots, discarded in a scorched field in Yugoslavia. From that moment, she was drawn to warm, monochromatic colours, rich textures, and the quiet narratives embedded in forgotten objects. For Michelle, these disintegrating remnants of the past symbolize the ephemerality of life and inspire her to capture their presence through photography, preserving their stories.

Born in the Netherlands to French and Italian parents, Michelle holds a Master of Arts in Classical Art History. Her academic background fostered a deep admiration for the Old Masters and the way light is portrayed in their paintings. This sensitivity to light informs her photographic practice, especially when exploring street scenes in ancient towns and hidden alleys around the world. To the casual observer, an old grain sack drying on a line might seem unremarkable—but to Michelle, its color, texture, and the ambient light can evoke the atmosphere of the Middle Ages.

Trained as a restorer of antique European furniture, and having worked for the Dutch Ministry of Culture, Michelle developed a keen appreciation for traditional craftsmanship and materials. This expertise informs her photography, where she often highlights subtle details that reveal the artistry of the past, sometimes bordering on the abstract.

Michelle has always experienced the world through the lens of colour and light. Even as a child, she associated numbers, months, and days of the week with specific hues—a form of synesthetic perception that continues to shape her creative vision. Through her photographs, Michelle invites viewers to see the world as she does: full of beauty, nuance, and quiet resonance.