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 Installationshot "Mycelium Garden" at Stegi, Athens, 2022 |
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| Mycelium Garden / MushRoom timebased installation room & video, Matthias Fritsch in collaboration with sunseeker e.V. at Haus der Statistik, Berlin 2020 & the mushroom circle, Athen 2022 |
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| The Earth is a system. Animals, plants, but also fungi do not only react to weather but create it as they process energy and matter. Fungi normally remain hidden underground and we only see their mycelium when we dig up the soil or collect their fruiting bodies during the seasons. While plants convert the sun's energy into chemical energy stored in carbohydrates and other biomass, fungi have the ability to break down anything organic and feed on the energy stored in organic matter, as well as extract minerals from rocks. The mycorrhizae also form close bonds with plants, exchanging minerals and water for sugars. As decomposers, fungi play an important role in the carbon circle. They form the basis for the next life cycle and nourish the new growth of the plants that created Earth's atmosphere. |
“Mycelium Garden” stages different strains of mycelium that feed on organic material. The fungi create a microclimate of gasses and aerosols alongside a beautiful variety of fruiting bodies. During the 6-week exhibition at Onassis Stegi in Athens, the edible mushrooms in the installation were harvested 2 to 3 times a week. They were distributed to exhibition guards and other facility staff, friends and family. After the exhibition ended, the still-potent mycelial bags were given away to interested people who wanted to try their own hand at growing mushrooms at home. The architecture of the installation was such that after de-installation, more than 80% of the building materials looked like new, except for a few screw holes, and could be reused. The worn out mycelial substrate ended up as mulch in a garden. |
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| Mushrooms (fungi) form the third major kingdom of eukaryotic organisms, along with animals (Animalia) and plants (Plantae). They are closer to animals than to plants. They also form huge networks with structures similar to the Internet. | In a world with increasing pollution and diminishing topsoils, fungi have great potential to solve some of the problems we face today. Examples include cleaning soils of organic pollutants, developing alternatives to plastic through the use of mycelium, or their many medicinal applications | |
 Installationshot "MushRoom" at Säurelager in Haus der Statistik, Berlin, September 2020 |
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 Installationshot "Mycelium Garden" at Stegi, Athens, Mid 2022 |
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related works: |
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 The Mediterran Garden Vegetation transformation |
 Green Kittchen Garden pavillion |
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 Soil Farmers Video about soil organisms |
 The Soil we lived from Video installation on the subject of soil erosion |
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 Honeybee à la Carte Short documentary |
 Asthetic Fermentation Workshops |
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 Ecopolis Furniture Composting furniture for the home |
 My 13 Commandments sustainable daily routines |
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 Utopia Berlin Neighborhood and bike tours in Berlin |
 Ecopolis future city concept |
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 Solar Dryer DIY & low energy food preservation device |
 Living Room Composter DIY & Low Cost Composing System for Home |
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