Fungi as Muse: Devon Exhibition Blends Art and Mycology
Contemporary art show explores fungi's cultural impact through soundscapes and scientific art.
1Fungal soundscapes through biofeedback
Musician Jason Singh created 'The Intelligence Below' by measuring electrical impulses from mycelium networks in Devon woodlands using biofeedback sensors. These biological signals were translated into musical notes, producing a soundscape entirely generated by fungal activity. Singh spent hours recording in Fingle and Yarner woods, capturing what he describes as the 'vibration of living systems'. The installation represents one of several innovative approaches in RAMM's Living Labyrinths exhibition that merge science with contemporary art.
2Beatrix Potter's mycological legacy
The exhibition highlights Beatrix Potter's overlooked contributions to mycology, beyond her famous children's books. It features watercolor studies loaned by the V&A Museum and a kinetic sculpture of Potteromyces asteroxylicola - a fungus named after Potter in 2023. This extinct fungus specimen was identified in the Natural History Museum's collections, showcasing how Potter's scientific work is gaining recognition. The show draws parallels between Victorian-era fungal collections and modern artistic interpretations of mycology.
3Mapping the human mycobiome
Artist Gemma Anderson-Tempini collaborated with University of Exeter scientists to create the first artistic representation of the human mycobiome - fungi living within our bodies. For her piece 'Myco-Mother', she collected Devon's red sandstone and Killerton's chocolate-brown soil to make natural pigments. This inward-looking approach contrasts with typical fungal studies focused on forests and soil. Anderson-Tempini's work represents a groundbreaking fusion of medical mycology and contemporary art practice.
4Southwest England's fungal affinity
Curator Lara Goodband explains Devon's special connection to fungi, citing the region's ideal damp climate and cultural appreciation. The exhibition draws from RAMM's Victorian fungal collections while incorporating modern pieces. Local interest ranges from ecologists studying soil health to ravers exploring psychedelic properties. Goodband notes increased public fascination following Merlin Sheldrake's 'Entangled Life', which positioned fungi as key to understanding planetary systems. The show reflects this growing cultural moment.
5Material alchemy with Devon's landscape
Anderson-Tempini's process involved literal ground-up work - collecting and processing Exmouth's red sandstone and Killerton's soil to create pigments for her mycobiome map. This material approach connects human fungal ecosystems with their geographical origins. The artist describes her watercolor technique as making visible the invisible microbial relationships within our bodies. Such methods highlight the exhibition's theme of revealing hidden fungal networks through artistic interpretation.
6Fungi in contemporary cultural discourse
Living Labyrinths arrives during a surge of interest in fungal networks as metaphors for interconnectedness. The exhibition positions fungi at the intersection of multiple disciplines: art, music, ecology and medicine. It builds on concepts from Sheldrake's work while pushing into new territory like internal human ecosystems. RAMM's Victorian collections provide historical context for this modern exploration, showing how our understanding of fungi's cultural significance has evolved.
7Scientific instruments as artistic tools
The exhibition showcases unconventional creative methods, like Singh's use of biofeedback sensors typically employed in medical or research contexts. These devices measure microvolt electrical activity from mycelium, translating biological processes into audible experiences. Such approaches blur boundaries between scientific measurement and artistic expression, challenging traditional distinctions between data collection and aesthetic creation in contemporary art practice.
8Redefining human-fungal relationships
By turning attention inward to the human mycobiome, the exhibition expands conversations about our biological interdependence. Anderson-Tempini's work particularly challenges the external focus of most fungal studies. The show demonstrates how artistic interpretation can advance scientific communication, making complex biological relationships tangible. This interdisciplinary approach suggests new frameworks for understanding our connection to microbial ecosystems that sustain life.
Original article: Science | The Guardian — Fungi as Muse: Devon Exhibition Blends Art and Mycology