Fungal futures

Fungal Futures/Growing Domestic Bio-Landscapes on show at Utrecht University presents innovative materials and projects made of mycelium by a group of artists and designers.

“Fungal Futures / Growing Domestic Bio-Landscapes” presents the research outcomes of an international group of artists and designers who develop innovative materials, projects and applications using mycelium, the filamentous network of fungi.

A fungal mycelium consists of a dense network of filamentous cells, called hyphae, that grows on plant matter. Thebehavior of fungi to convert plant biomass into a mycelium can be used to create biomaterials with novel properties. The materials may consist of a mixture of waste stream and mycelium (composites) or can be completely ‘pure’. Such fungal materials represent attractive alternatives for traditional synthetics as they are 100% natural, compostable, and resulting from low value waste streams.

Utrecht University, Officina Corpuscoli, and Stichting Mediamatic collaborated in the NWO project “Mycelium Design” (2014–2015). The partners invited artists and designers in an open call to participate in the project as part of the Myco Design Lab. During the project, Officina Corpuscoli and Utrecht University developed a palette of fungal materials that were provided to the selected artists and designers. They explored their potential and provided feedback how the materials should be improved to meet requirements for a range of specific products and applications.

The exhibition invites us to envision potentially near futures and to re-imagine the way in which our domestic and social life will change during the next decades as part of a transition to a sustainable economy.

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Studio Eric Klarenbeek, Veiled Lady 2.0. © Studio Eric Klarenbeek

Phil Ross, Polyminoes and Maritime Fungi

Kristel Peters, Growing Shoes. Photo @ Caroline Vincart

until May 16 2016
Fungal Futures / Growing Domestic Bio-Landscapes
Artists on show: Aniela Hoitink – NEFFA, Caroline de Roy, Studio Eric Klarenbeek, Francesco Zorzi – No-Rocket, Gianluca Tabellini, Jonas Edvard, Kristel Peters – COJAK, Maurizio Montalti – Officina Corpuscoli, Phil Ross, Studio LIVIN, Wim van Egmond
Commissioned by: Utrecht University – Microbiology (Prof Han Wösten)
Curated, designed and produced by: Maurizio Montalti – Officina Corpuscoli
Graphic design: Francesco Zorzi / No-Rocket
Universiteitsmuseum Utrecht – Oude Hortus
Lange Nieuwstraat 106, Utrecht

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