created with Selma Mühlbauer and Fabio Hofer
“We are stuck with the problem of living despite economic and ecological ruination. Neither tales of progress nor of ruin tell us how to think about collaborative survival. It is time to pay attention to mushroom picking. Not that this will save us – but it might open our imaginations.” - Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing
Fungi is the largest living organism with a reach of over 9km2 and can digest materials that are highly toxic to humans. Even though when thinking about fungi, our first picture is probably a champion basket in the supermarket.
Throughout this project, we questioned this perspective and tried to understand the mycelial structure better. With an installation, we turned our own worldview upside down and created a space where the mycelium and its structures is tangible. The fungi architecture happened by chance to reduce the control over the design choices. We tried to create a fungi network that is created with nature materials by us, in the position of servants. To make the world underneath more visible and understandable for human beings.
Lying inside the installation by night, made it possible to see the communication network of the mycelium through a projection.
Let's put our ears to the ground together: What does the mushroom tell us?
created in the Studio Design Investigations