Anna Dumitriu has been artist in residence at the Institute of Biology in Bucharest in Romania in 2026 where she has been exploring the scientific study of medicinal plants, with a focus on Smoke Tree and Edelweiss. She worked with scientific collaborator is Dr Alexandra-Gabriela Ciocan and the residency has been supported and curated by Marginal under the framework of their 2026 Otherwise Residency Programme. The project explores the medicinal compounds that are produced by plants and how they have potential to treat diseases through antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. The research focusses on plant callus cultures which are similar to pluripotent stem cells in mammalian cells.
Their project explores the medicinal compounds that are produced by plants and how they have potential to treat diseases through antimicrobial and antioxidant effects. The research focusses on plant callus cultures, which are unorganised, dividing masses of undifferentiated plant cells made from a piece of sterilised plant tissue on a nutrient-rich growth medium, similar to pluripotent stem cells in mammalian cells. The project also explores the history and mythology of these plants such as featherlike appearance of smoke tree flowers were thought to ward of malevolent forces by offering a veil of concealment and edelweiss is a symbol or immortality and romantic gestures.
The final exhibition of the Otherwise Residency Programme 2026 will take place at Atelier35 in Bucharest, Romania and runs from 14th October to 30th October 2026.
Artworks
Immortal
Edelweiss has long been associated with the treatment of tuberculosis (TB) and other lung conditions due to its connection to high altitudes and the theory that the reduced oxygen at those levels helps limit the growth of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, though there is currently no evidence that edelweiss compounds can treat TB.
When edelweiss is grown in the lab in the form of a plant callus culture, it expresses anthocyanins, which are flavonoids in the form of water-soluble pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, pink, purple, blue, or black. These anthocyanins are powerful natural antioxidants so potentially they may help us live longer lives by neutralising damaging free radicals, ironically, they are likely a sign of stress for the plant cells.
TB has been long been called “The Romantic Disease” and has been the subject of a major project of that name by Dumitriu. It is also associated with vampire mythology and ritually buried corpses (beheaded and with stakes through their hearts) have been discovered in the USA, which, when tested, were found to have TB. It used to be called ‘consumption’ since the body appears consumed from within. The biggest risk factor for TB is to sleep and live in close proximity to others with TB hence it affected whole families but not neighbours which gave rise to the idea that a vampire needs to be invited into a house.
This antique romantic style blouse is impregnated with the DNA TB which Dumitriu extracted in a lab and tied with ribbons stained with edelweiss anthocyanins. A mirrored video of the artist’s own blood fighting a TB infection in vitro in the lab is video mapped on to the blouse.
Materials: Antique Blouse with farmed edelweiss flowers in resin, stained silk ribbons with pink anthocyanins from edelweiss, TB DNA, digital video projection of the artist’s own blood fighting a TB infection in vitro.
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania. Video in collaboration with Brighton and Sussex Medical School.
Year 2026
Dum Spero Spiro (While I breath I hope)
A meditation on the relationship of TB, edelweiss and the altitude treatment for the disease that was popular in Alpine sanatoria such as Davos in Switzerland and described in Thomas Mann’s novel “The Magic Mountain”. The phrase Dum Spero Spiro (While I breath I hope)refers to the motto of many of such sanatoria. The sculpture and the display cloche reference vintage models used for the historical teaching of anatomy, and it is threaded with farmed edelweiss and ribbons stained with edelweiss extract. Exhibited alongside edelweiss callus cultures from the Institute of Biology, Bucharest.
Materials: 3D printed PLA, hand-painted in acrylic, with farmed edelweiss and ribbon stained with edelweiss extracts.
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania
Year 2026
Veil
Smoke tree is associated with the healing of skin and burns, likely due to its antimicrobial qualities. In folklore, and related to the Doctrine of Signatures, the featherlike appearance of its flowers was thought to ward of malevolent forces by offering a veil of concealment.
Here a 3D modelled and printed sculpture of burned skin is intertwined with dried (frozen) smoke tree leaves which have been preserved in resin with drawings of some of the bacteria the leaves can treat, and silk ribbons stained with smoke tree compounds, extracts and dyed with smoke tree heartwood (a.k.a. young fustic.
The sculpture and the display cloche reference vintage models used for the historical teaching of anatomy. Exhibited alongside smoke tree callus cultures from the Institute of Biology, Bucharest
Materials: 3D printed PLA, hand-painted in acrylic with Smoke Tree leaves in resin with drawing, silver wire and silk ribbons stained with smoke tree compounds, extracts and dyed with smoke tree heartwood (a.k.a. young fustic).
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania
Year 2026
Callus Culture Pomanders
Pomanders are perforated globular containers which can be filled with plant materials, spices, herbs, or perfumes and worn around the neck as protection against infection in times of pestilence. They originated in the 13th Century and were first made for carrying around religious keepsakes.
These two pomanders, one for edelweiss and one for smoke tree, are 3D modelled in silver and decorated with 3D scans of dried edelweiss and smoke tree specimens photographed at the Herbarium of the Institute of Biology Bucharest and the Museum of Romanian Records (for edelweiss), and in the case of smoke tree they include 3D scans of a plant callus culture. Each contains freeze dried plant callus cultures grown in the lab from edelweiss or smoke tree as part of research into the scientific study of the medicinal properties of these plants. Plant callus cultures are unorganised, dividing masses of undifferentiated plant cells made from a piece of sterilised plant tissue on a nutrient-rich growth medium.
Materials: 3D printed silver, silver chain, freeze dried smoke tree callus culture
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania. Thanks to Dr Roxana Nicoară Herbarium of the Institute of Biology Bucharest
Year 2026
Materials: 3D printed silver, silver chain, freeze dried edelweiss callus culture
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania. Thanks to Dr Roxana Nicoară Herbarium of the Institute of Biology Bucharest
Year 2026
Eagle Triptych
Three textile artworks made with silk pieces that have been laid on to chromogenic agar (a growth media made from seaweed containing special diagnostic dyes) and then grown with four kinds of pathogenic bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella which have been challenged with plant compounds and extracts from edelweiss and smoke tree. On some silk squares the blues (Staphylococcus aureus), greens (Listeria) and pinks (Escherichia coli) and purples (Salmonella) show what are called ‘zones of inhibition’ which as patches where the bacteria did not grow meaning the extracts and compounds tested here on small discs may be effective at killing these bacteria. There is a strange result however where the bacteria grew on the antimicrobial discs but not around them. This may be an effect of the concentrations of compounds and extracts called the ‘eagle effect’ and the collaborators are discussing new experiments on how to test this with microbiology experts. The materials were sterilised by autoclaving prior to exhibition. Beads containing smoke tree flowers, a pressed smoke tree callus culture and farmed edelweiss have been added.
Materials: Silk stained with sterilised bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella using chromogenic agar patterned with antimicrobial plant compounds and extracts from edelweiss and smoke tree, embroidery, and rinsed in oak gall ink, resin, smoke tree flowers, pressed smoke tree callus culture and farmed edelweiss.
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania
Year 2026
Precious Corners
It is believed edelweiss flowers grow in inaccessible places such as the Carpathian Mountains, hence the Romania name floarea de colț or corner flower. This altered vintage box has a secret compartment which contains a freeze-dried edelweiss callus culture used in the lab to hunt for the medicinal compounds that may have antimicrobial and antioxidant qualities. The artist has gilded the box in silver leaf to indicate the preciousness of these trophy plants and why they need protecting.
Materials: Altered vintage box with hidden compartment, silver leaf, acrylic, with freeze-dried edelweiss plant callus culture.
Credit: Artist Anna Dumitriu in collaboration with Scientist Alexandra Gabriela Ciocan at the Institute of Biology, Bucharest, Romania
Year 2026
Exhibitions and Outcomes
Anna Dumitriu gave a short interview on RADIO GUERRILLA, a national Romanian radio station about the project in July 2026.
Anna Dumitriu was interviewed by Latest TV in Brighton, UK, about her work and recent projects including Immortal and Precious Plants” in August 2026.
The project was featured on Romanian Cultural Radio in “Silent Pressures: trei cercetări despre procese ecologice devin lucrări artistice în cadrul expoziției finale Otherwise Residency“, Bucharest, Romania on 9th October 2026.
The final exhibition of the Otherwise Residency Programme 2026 entitled “Silent Pressures” will take place at Atelier35 in Bucharest, Romania and runs from 14th October to 30th October 2026.