Cross-Stitched Macaw Inspired by Birds Found Within the Palazzo Chigi

Macaws, non-native to Italy, represented a pinnacle of exoticism in the seventeenth century. Their vibrant plumage, intelligence, and rarity made them prized residents of aristocratic aviaries, such as the one at Ariccia. Within the Palazzo Chigi, painted birds like the macaw contributed to a spectacle of curiosity and controlled nature, while live exotic birds were housed in a large aviary in the forest behind the palace, now a park.

This project began with a hand cross-stitched interpretation of a macaw, inspired by the palace's painted bird imagery and sky-like ceilings. Cross-stitch was selected for its grid-based structure and slow, deliberate process, emphasizing care, repetition, and craftsmanship akin to mural painting. The stitched macaw captures painted motion amid Baroque ornamentation in a tactile, time-intensive medium.

The piece was first digitized by meticulously replicating each cross-stitch “X” in the Adobe Creative Suite, creating layers that informed the bird's construction and served as a foundation for the next phase: animation. The cross-stitched macaw was then transformed into an augmented reality (AR) experience. The initial AR iteration exploded the stitched layers, revealing the intricate colors and forms of the image.

In the second phase, AI-assisted tools were employed to interpret the stitched form and generate movement, enabling the bird to flap, hover, and animate within digital space. Through AR, the macaw regains motion, echoing the living birds of the Chigi aviary and the illusionistic qualities of Baroque interiors. Rather than replacing the physical object, AI and AR enhance it, transforming a static stitched image into an interactive, spatial experience. To see the bird in augmented reality: