The Verdigris Patina Mirror by Teruko Kushi is an award finalist for Emerging/Independent Product Designer at NYCxDesign 2024. The mirror is made of hand-polished solid bronze with a verdigris patinated surface.

Kushi’s mirror is a lovely work of art, reminiscent of the pictures astronauts snapped of the earth while they flew through space. The most famous of the pictures was named “Earthrise,” taken as Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders swung around the Moon. During a broadcast with Earth, Lovell said: “The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth.”

The Verdigris Patina Mirror also reminds the viewer that the individual is one very small part of this planet. The verdigris obscures the image of one looking into the mirror, so the portion of the mirror that reflects the image reduces the size of the person looking into it.

Due to the organic nature of the oxidation process, the surface finish of this mirror will vary from one edition to the next, just as the earth appears differently in the many pictures taken of it during our adventures into space. The mirror is customizable in the size of its diameter up to 47 inches.   

Teruko Kushi (she/her) is an interdisciplinary artist, designer, and metal fabricator. She is the co-founder of SALEHI / KUSHI Studio, a sculptural and architectural metal fabrication company based in Brooklyn, New York.