Plant (Brugmansia suaveolens)

Plant (Brugmansia suaveolens), 2024. Cibachrome print, 33cm x 33cm. JPEG 4320 X 4320 pixels. Following the protocols of the blockchain that define a space protected from destruction, manipulation, and the passing of time, artist Debora Hirsch decided to bring back to life and preserve nearly extinct plants within the realm of AI and physical painting. These endangered species are recorded on the blockchain, granting them an eternal virtual existence, while serving as a symbolic memory of what we have lost and what we risk losing. Plants, frames, landscapes, architecture details and monolithic birds all together, aim at emphasizing the complexity of interconnections that belong to ecosystems while evoking the delicate equilibrium and transience of nature. BRUGMANSIA SUAVEOLENS Native: Brazil. Assessment: Extinct in the Wild. A few individuals in Italy (Campania). Threats: Invasive species, overharvesting for ornamental and medicinal purposes. PLANT: Despite its extinction in the wild, it is widely cultivated for its ornamental and medicinal value. Conservation efforts focus on ex situ cultivation to maintain its genetic diversity and medicinal benefits.