spiX’s macaw

Scientific Name: Cyanopsitta spixii

“Modernity can be defined by the disappearance of wildlife from humanity’s habitat and by the reappearance of the same in humanity’s reflections on itself” – Akira Mizuta Lippit.

Flach photographed this Spix’s Macaw (Cyanopspitta spixii) in captivity before it was reintroduced into its endemic habitat in the Caatinga region of Brazil. Once declared extinct in the wild in the 1980s, this marked the first-ever successful reintroduction of a bird species in human history. Interestingly, the 2011 movie “Rio”, which features a blue parrot named Blu based on the Spix’s Macaw, may have played a role in raising awareness and catalysing this monumental event.

On the day of the historic release, this image was projected onto the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, echoing the unforgettable scene from the film where Blu soars around the monument.

Learn more about the More than Human exhibition.