‘The Living Material’

Mycelium – a branching, web-like root structure made from threads called hyphae which are invisible to the human eye, scientifically known as the underground mycorrhizal network or creatively described as the ‘Wood Wide Web’ by mycologist Merlin Sheldrake. This hidden organism plays a vital role beneath our feet.

What we see above the ground – mushrooms – are just the fruiting bodies of this larger underground network. Beneath the surface, mycelium connects plants, trees, and decomposing organic matter, distributing nutrients and information throughout the soil.

Without mycelium, dead organic matter would build up, and ecosystems would struggle to grow, leaving the environment uninhabitable.

Fossil records explain that fungi have existed for at least 500 million years, yet our understanding and research remain surprisingly limited. Considering the vital role fungi could play in the future of medicine, agriculture, and climate solutions, it’s time we gave this extraordinary organism the attention it deserves.

Cultivated for over 30 days using agricultural waste and Golden Oyster Mushroom Grain Spawn, ‘The Living Material’ is both a sculptural object and a living organism grown in collaboration with the artist challenging traditional notions of authorship and permanence in art, embracing a process that is alive, adaptive, and ever-changing.

The climate crisis has prompted the world of art, design, and architecture to take action, producing ecologically sustainable and renewable alternative materials to support humanity’s needs. The functional potential of mycelium has been studied and developed over time to help us utilise its rapid processes of growth, decay, nutrient distribution and regeneration to replace a range of materials that would usually be harmful to our environment such as leather, insulation, concrete, and product packaging.

As the sculpture continues to decay over time, we are invited to reimagine our material world, powered by ecological intelligence and in partnership with nature.

Exploring fungi and mycelium at the intersection of nature, science, and design has been a central aspect of my research into these organisms within my artistic practice. Ecological awareness has shaped my work as an artist, allowing nature to function as the subject, inspiration, research, material, gallery space, collaborator, and creator. The development of mycelium has emphasised the need to use these regenerative organisms to consolidate an ecologically sustainable future. In art, design, and architecture, this organism has begun to be utilised to its advantage, enabling me as an artist to explore its potential by growing it and collaborating with it as a living material in sculptural forms and as a biodegradable medium.

‘The Living Material’ is an industrial-looking column representing mycelium’s future as a material in the design industry. Raised to chest height, to welcome the audience to get up close and personal to understand the material. This work not only reflects my desire to engage with regenerative organisms but also challenges the way we traditionally view materials in art, design, and architecture. Evolving my practice by collaborating with living material, pushing the boundaries of sculpture and installation in both form and concept.

In my graduate exhibition, I present mycelium as a medium that offers new ideas for thinking about biodegradable materials, growth processes, and environmental impact. In the studio, I have developed controlled environments to grow the organism, allowing me to observe and work with its natural growth patterns and regenerative qualities. This process has expanded my understanding of the potential of organic materials in contemporary art practice and has led to the creation of sculptural works that not only exist within the gallery but engage with the life cycle of the materials themselves.