mycelium objects

This body of work explores the relationship between human-made form and biological growth. At its core is an experiment: what happens when sculptural structures created by humans are colonized and transformed by living mycelium? The resulting “fungi fusion” of human intention and natural processes suggests new possibilities for art, design, and collaborative creation between species.

The sculptures begin as forms defined by the artist, constructed from both natural and artificial materials and filled with a substrate colonized by fungal mycelium. In a constantly humid environment, the fungus - most often Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) - grows through and beyond the form, becoming visible on its surface. The original structure is gradually altered by another living organism, which extends, reshapes, and redefines its boundaries. Variations in moisture create subtle shifts in color, ranging from pale yellow and brown to deeper earthy tones.

These works investigate the balance between control and unpredictability. Rather than forcing nature into a predetermined shape, they allow growth to become an active participant in the creative process. The sculptures reveal how collaboration between human intention and natural agency can generate forms that neither could produce alone. At the same time, they embrace the rough, weathered aesthetic that emerges naturally through fungal growth and transformation.

The resulting sculptures appear organic, animal-like, and at times distinctly human. Some suggest bodily or feminine forms, while others seem strangely alien, as if originating from another world. They embody ideas of collaboration, symbiosis, and transformation. Originally developed as part of the artist’s master’s thesis, the series continues as an ongoing experimental project, expanding into new materials, fungal species, colors, scales, and sculptural possibilities.