Plant (Parodia horstii)

Plant (Parodia horstii), 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. PARODIA HORSTII Native: Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul). Assessment: Endangered. Threats: Dam construction, illegal collection and trade, and landslides from agricultural land. PLANT: Small, globular cactus that is significant for its ornamental value therefore it is necessary to control trade to prevent exploitation. Habitat protection in its six locations with less than 2.500 mature individuals and regulations to manage collection and trade.