Debora Giannone's "(Up)Rooted", winner of first place in Heidi goes AI (sponsored by the Swiss Consulate San Francisco and the Heidiseum), reflects on the psychological rupture Heidi undergoes when she is uprooted from the Swiss Alps and forced to conform to city life. Her vibrant, connected self is set against a fractured, disoriented version shaped by external demands. The work explores the role of roots in shaping identity, the delicate balance between leaving home to grow and staying grounded, and asks what “home” truly means in a globalized world.
 
Created through a deeply human creative process, UpRooted began with storyboarding, concept work, and intuition — AI was introduced only after this foundation was laid. After hours of dialogue with Midjourney, Debora Giannone selected, edited, and fused pieces, applying final touches in Photoshop. The result is not only a meditation on identity, uprooting, and authenticity but also a celebration of rootedness, family, and the healing power of nature.
 
 
printed on Giclée Canson Baryta Gloss