midjourney envisions how centuries-long extinct creatures would look today

what is lost is (not) lost forever by angelo renna

‘What is lost is (not) lost forever’ imagines how extraordinary species which have become extinct in the last few centuries would look today, had they survived. To visualize this new AI-generated series, Italian architect Angelo Renna looks to scientific research and characteristic descriptions of these animals and plants, feeding them as text prompts to Midjourney to visualize their appearances. The project, he notes, is not de-extinction or a revival of extinct species but is instead an educative process to learn about other forms of life in history.

reconnecting with forgotten historic species using ai

Using AI, Angelo Renna journeys back in time, in search of older forms of life connected with humanity, and preserving what is lost to connect and reconnect. With ‘What is lost is (not) lost forever’ the architect reveals the interplay of species and places that no longer exist through illustrative renderings.

Questioning whether AI can be used as an educative tool to learn about forgotten forms of life, the series reveals portraits of giant herb trees, Tasmanian sea creatures, predatory insects and giant rodent the size of a horse.

project info:

name: What is lost is (not) lost forever
designer: Angelo Renna

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