At a time when beauty and relevance are often defined through a youth-centered lens, Marina Capdevila overturns this narrative with unapologetic humor and exuberant brilliance. With her colorful palette and a gaze that is both sharp and tender, the artist reclaims the elegance of aging and the fierce vitality of older women, not as figures of the past, but as undeniable protagonists of the present.

Forever Gold: The Glorious Age is a site-specific mural proposal for the city of Pforzheim, historically renowned for its ties to jewelry and watchmaking: two disciplines that celebrate value, beauty, and the passage of time.

Drawing on this legacy, Capdevila transforms gold, so deeply embedded in the city’s identity, into a metaphor: not as a precious metal, but as a symbol of wisdom, character, and an enduring spirit.

In this work, the artist envisions a scene of everyday complicity between older women: one grandmother helping another put on a pair of gold earrings, amid laughter and knowing glances. It is an intimate gesture, charged with affection, memory, and dignity. It is not just about getting dressed up: it is an act of self-affirmation, pride, and quiet empowerment. It is beauty, but also transmission, care, and resilience.

Pforzheim is not merely the backdrop, but another character in this story. The mural seeks to contribute to the urban fabric with a warm, ironic, and powerful perspective, challenging stereotypes about age, femininity, and the value we place on what (and who) surrounds us. It is playful yet profound: a reminder that the spark does not fade with age; it transforms.

With Forever Gold, Capdevila does not just paint walls, but possibilities. And in a city like Pforzheim, with its golden and living legacy, this celebration of eternal beauty could not find a better home.

Endless thanks, as always, to my partner in crime Dani Berenguer and to everyone who made this project possible. A special mention to Regina M. Fischer, who welcomed us so exceptionally and was a wonderful host.

It was a true pleasure to be invited by Kulturamt Pforzheim. A project of great quality, excellently organized and filled with creative energy, which made it a truly enriching experience. It was also the first time that, in a large-scale outdoor mural, I worked with a much freer and more expressive brushstroke, allowing me to create new textures on the wall. I am very happy with the result and excited about the creative path that opens up from this experience.

Kulturamt Pforzheim

Artworks