Below the forest floor fungal networks reveal extensive hidden collaborations that is often overlooked by human perspectives of time, scale and progress. The Reishi series focuses on the intricate underground life of mycelium in a reminder of life beyond the human gaze and points to the intersection between art and science in creating innovative bio materials. Currently, research into reishi mycelium application is looking towards its use to replace harmful industrial materials such as plastics and be applied in heat and sound insulation, floatation and fire resistance. 

In the Reishi series, inoculated reishi mycelium is grown on hard wood substrate revealing natural textures, colours of a unique being within each piece as it grows, dies, breathes, starves and eventually dried. The Reishi series was created in collaboration with the dutch bio-design company Krown Design, and was initially applied as a floating structure for our bio-sculpture Mycelium Moon for 2.5 months in Vejle fjord during summer 2018, as a strong biological alternative to styrofoam. 

“...the warm appreciation and understanding of basic natural processes such as beautiful solutions, miraculous transformation of some substance into others and the re-creation of thousands of beautiful colours…” – Arne Næss

Series of wall mounted panels

Reishi mushrooms and substrate grown over four months

120 x 60 x 5 cm

June 2018