Transforming with Fungi

General information

The purpose of the project was to promote transdisciplinary collaboration between students, university lecturers, artists, and researchers from different disciplines in a DIY fungi lab. The collaboration with the CCC project “Regional Cascading Biomass Utilization in Berlin-Brandenburg” created synergies and broadened the project’s perspective. The project was open to students from all disciplines; it aimed to enhance academic teaching and increase its sustainability by incorporating the knowledge of citizen scientists and artists.

Method

The collaboration began with the establishment of cultivation protocols for the production of biomaterials from local wood residues and tree fungi in cooperation with the Mitkunstzentrale from the Haus der Materialisierung. In the process, artistic approaches were used not only to create functional objects and sculptures, but also as a means to creatively relay scientific information. Together, the participants designed spaces and fostered collaborative creativity that emphasized the strengths of individual talents and collective strengths.

Results

The DIY fungi lab was established in the Mitkunstzentrale. Prototypes for fungi-based materials and objects were created from old furniture. These prototypes were a means of transferring knowledge to the public as part of the Berlin exhibition (MY-CO PLACE, 2023). Workshops were also held to introduce members of the public to scientific work in fungal biotechnology and to highlight both the potential of and challenges in the field of new bio-based, sustainable, and recyclable materials.

Outreach

A series of workshops and lectures have been held, including at Driving the Human in Berlin, the “Examples to Follow,” the (Re-)Gaining Ecological Futures Festival of the Floating University Berlin, and the Vienna Mushroom Festival. In addition, the Nobel Prize Museum in Stockholm hosted the exhibition “Fungi in Art and Science” from 30 September 2023 to 7 January 2024, in which Vera Meyer was featured.