Fuga Demonum

Fuga Demonum is the title of this artistic research project by Elara Elvira on ethnobotany, ecology, witchcraft and traditional medicine.

Fuga Daemonium was the name given in the Middle Ages to the hypericum plant (Hypericum Perforatum) and alluded to its ability to “expel out” the demons lodged in the patient’s body. Today, scientific research has shown that hypericum contains a substance called hypericin, which has antidepressant properties.

This global crisis has led us to question our way of inhabiting the world and the problems related to ecology and health. This work explores the relationships between ethnobotany, natural medicine, occultism and traditional witchcraft. Based on theoretical studies and empirical experiences with plants, and using the visual arts as a tool for dissemination, Elara Elvira’s work promotes the conservation of natural and ethnological heritage.