Beware the Bewitching Angel’s Trumpet

In volume two of “Arrangements,” we’re getting up and personal with Brugmansia—if you dare.

In this second volume of “Arrangements,” we delve into the enchanting allure of Angel’s Trumpet, a dramatic woody tree adorned with profuse, droopy blooms that resemble elongated trumpets. When you see one, you have to stop and stare. But while this plant beguiles with its delicate appearance, beneath its beauty lies a lethal nature. “In South America,” The New York Times writes, “the tree that bears them is called el borrachero, or ‘the drunk-maker’ in part because of the blooms’ dizzying night perfume of fermented lemons, said to induce crazed dreams. And more: Parts of the plant, when crushed, yield scopolamine, a.k.a. burundanga, a.k.a. devil’s breath—a psychoactive alkaloid deployed by criminals, via a spiked drink or a puff in the face, to disable free will.” Thus, this seemingly innocent plant, with its dark secrets, becomes our muse, leading us into a story where beauty and danger are closely intertwined.

1. In Fruit of the Drunken Tree by Ingrid Rojas Contreras, I found myself captivated by the masterfully woven narrative set against Colombia's tumultuous backdrop. This novel, one of the best I’ve read recently, tells the story of a family living under the shadow of a Brugmansia arborea alba. The looming tree becomes a powerful metaphor for the beauty and hidden dangers that thread through their lives.

2. Russian/French photographer Anna Hahoutoff, known for her vivid photographs, focuses on the natural world, emphasizing the textures, shapes and colors of her subjects. Her work, free from human presence, celebrates the serenity of the outdoors. One standout image features Angel's Trumpet flowers up close, their graceful forms set against a lush, sky-framed backdrop.

3. In "Solidarity," an evocative acrylic painting by South Korean artist Miju Lee, three trumpet flowers are delicately suspended above two girls cradling a butterfly, inviting contemplation on transformation. Through her artwork, Lee explores how objects, once collected and placed in new contexts, can evolve in meaning and significance, mirroring the way our memories shift and color over time.

4. Naida Osline’s Visionary Plants series captures the cultural significance of plants with a storied history of human use. Her artistic process includes cultivating these plants, photographing them through different growth stages, and ultimately transforming them into fantastical compositions. These images, often rendered at a scale much larger than life, elevate the plants to a mythological status, reflecting their deep roots in human culture and imagination.

5. This striking black and white photograph by Mariana Garcia, a Mexican artist and the creative director of P Magazine, captures the haunting beauty of Angel's Trumpets drooping elegantly over an empty tiled pool. Through this image, Garcia explores themes of mystery, power and mystique—qualities she finds pervasive in her subjects.

6. The Borrachero Table by Chris Wolston is a testament to the vibrant tropical flora that thrives in the mountains and forests around Medellin, his adopted home. The table, inspired by the flowering Brugmansia, not only serves as a functional piece but also invites viewers to reflect on the intersection of art, nature and design.

7. Bethany Czarnecki's work, featuring the oil on canvas painting "Angel Trumpet," engages in a dialogue with biomorphic flora through detailed and sensitive artistic expressions. Her use of enveloping forms blurs the lines between landscape and abstraction, creating a dreamlike realm where the organic and the imaginary coalesce.

8. Brugmansia, pollinated by night-flying moths, emits an intense fragrance to attract nocturnal visitors. As we dare not lean too close to its potent blooms, Moon Flower by Perfumehead offers a sensory glimpse into this nocturnal ballet. This fragrance blends trumpet-shaped tuberose, citrus-scented blood orange and night-blooming jasmine, evoking a garden that comes alive under the moonlight.

9. Finally, I leave you with “Trumpet Flower” by French composer and conductor Daniel Janin.

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