Fungi are not only a source of inspiration for scientific developments; they have captured the attention of many artists for centuries, and are especially relevant to contemporary art. From ancient myths to modern fashion, fungi have played an important role in shaping human expression.
Renaissance: Fungi appear in Renaissance art in subtle but significant ways. Renaissance art is deeply influenced by Christian ideas and classical themes. While flowers and fruits often represented life and abundance, fungi were associated with decay and corruption of not just nature but also humans.
A prominent artist of the time was Arcimboldo, who was known for creating portraits entirely of natural objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, and even fungi. One of his most-well known paintings is Winter, which depicts the face of an old man. The man’s face is made up of gnarled tree bark, with knots and cracks representing wrinkles and age. Two mushrooms are growing from the wood below his nose, forming his mouth. This detail hints at decomposition, as fungi grow on decaying organic matter.
The Garden of Delights is another example of Renaissance art. Though not proved, many scholars believe that the elements of the painting resemble mushrooms, particularly Amanita muscaria. The figures in the painting engage in strange, ecstatic behaviors, which was interpreted as hallucinogenic properties of these mushrooms.
Contemporary Art: Today, artists take fungi inspiration even further. Some, like Carsten Höller, create giant mushroom sculptures. One of his sculptures is The Giant Triple Mushroom (2010). By enlarging a simple mushroom to an enormous size, Höller turns it into something monumental and almost alien. This change in scale forces viewers to engage with the mushroom in a new way and pay attention to its intricate structure and textures.
Anselm Kiefer, a well-known contemporary German artist, incorporates fungi into his installations such as Über Deutschland (2016). As part of his retrospective at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, Kiefer presented this installation featuring a painting of a dark forest symbolizing Germany. The gallery floor was covered with dirt, from which small cardboard mushrooms emerged, each bearing the names of significant German thinkers, writers, and artists. This arrangement symbolized regrowth and the transformative power of art emerging from Germany’s complex history. More information about fungi in contemporary art can be found in this article.
Mushroom Photography: Mushroom photography has gained popularity as artists and nature enthusiasts capture the beauty of fungi in the wild. Beyond traditional nature photography, artists use mushrooms in experimental photography, playing with lighting and compositions to create a sense of mystery and wonder.
I’ve come across photographers and artists who have a unique way of showing fungi’s beauty.
- Steve Axford is a nature photographer who specializes in capturing mushrooms close up. His photos show details that are usually hard to see. He also uses time-lapse photography to show how mushrooms grow and change over time. You can check out his portfolio for some impressive images (Steve Axford Photography).
- Alison Pollack is a photographer who takes close-up pictures of tiny fungi and slime molds. Her Instagram (@marin_mushrooms) is a must-follow for anyone (Alison Pollack on Instagram).
- Jill Bliss creates vibrant compositions using fungi, leaves, and flowers, often arranging them into complex patterns. (Jill Bliss’s art)
Fungi in Literature
Mushrooms are central to many myths and legends. The striking red-and-white Amanita muscaria mushroom appears in European fairy tales, often related to witches and enchanted forests. One of the myths about these mushrooms was that Viking warriors consumed them before battle to muster strength.
Fungi play prominent roles in works like Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, where the Caterpillar instructs Alice to eat from a mushroom that allows her to grow taller or shorter, depending on which side she eats from. This detail in the story hints at the magical qualities of mushrooms that were usually explored in literature.
In recent years, fungi have featured in dystopian narratives like The Girl with All the Gifts by M.R. Carey and The Last of Us, where they are depicted as agents of infection, mutation, and transformation.
Fungi in Cultural Practices
What I really like about fungi is that they are not only part of the ecosystem, but also a part of human culture.
Rituals and Spiritual Practices: Some cultures have used psychedelic mushrooms in spiritual and healing ceremonies. Indigenous tribes in Mexico and South America have practiced rituals involving Psilocybin mushrooms for centuries, believing they provide access to the divine and heightened consciousness. Today, there is renewed interest in psilocybin’s therapeutic potential for mental health treatment.
Festivals and Celebrations: In Japan, mushroom hunting is an important seasonal activity. For example, The Tottori Matsutake Festival celebrates the harvest of valuable mushrooms with seasonal dishes, markets, and guided mushroom-hunting tours. In France and Italy, truffle festivals attract enthusiasts from around the world.
Fungi in Popular Culture
Today, fungi are experiencing a renaissance in popular culture:
- Fashion and Design: Mycelium-based materials are being used in sustainable fashion and architecture. MycoTEX by Aniela Hoitink is a project that creates fungal textiles from pure mycelium, offering a zero-waste, compostable fabric for clothing.
- Media and Entertainment: Fungi have captured the public imagination through TV shows, documentaries, and viral social media posts that draw attention to their fascinating biology and cultural significance. For instance, have you seen Fantastic Fungi? It’s a great documentary by Louie Schwartzberg that dives into the world of fungi. The visuals are breathtaking, and the message is so powerful.
Merlin Sheldrake and Björk: In the 3D film Fungi: Web of Life, biologist Merlin Sheldrake collaborates with artist Björk to explore the beauty and ecological importance of fungi (wallpaper.com).
fungitopia.org 