Mycelium Trial and Errors

Myco Design Lab

18 sep 2014

Mediamatic, Officina Corpuscoli and Utrecht University invited artists and designers to start experimenting with Mycelium and research the possibilities for the development of new material and products. Today they will show you their first results and proud failures.

Vergroot

The Future of Plastic exhibition by Maurizio Montalti - overview shot - Capture of the installation and products by Maurizio Montalti, as part of the exhibition: The Future of Plastic. commissioned by Fondazione PLART (Napoli) and curated by Marco Petroni. Maurizio Montalti

How it started

In 2012 Mediamatic initiated the Paddestoelen Paradijs exhibition. In 2014 we will continue our interest in design with fungi. Through an open call we've asked artists and designers to participate in the Myco Design Lab, in collaboration with the University of Utrecht and Officina Corpuscoli.

By connecting artists and designers with these two powerhouses in mycelium, we want to explore and experiment with the several uses of fungi design.
Since mycelium is a living organism, the designing and creating with this material takes some patience in order to see the growth and the outcome is still unpredictable. For the past half year there have been many experiments and at Bio-me we will showcase their first successes and failures.

The participants of the Myco Design Lab will be present during this event. So if you want you can ask them questions about their work and research.
We will also showcase new work by Maurizio Montalti, partner of our Myco Design Lab, who had a solo exhibition in Naples called Future of Plastic.

Information
Myco Design Lab
Thursday September 18, 17:00 - 20:30
Mediamatic Fabriek, VOC-kade 10
Van Gendthallen (next to Roest).

The Myco Design Lab takes place in our Aquaponics office.

Vergroot

Substrate with Agaricus bisporus - Substrate with Agaricus bisporus at CNC Holding



Come early to see the Kunstformen der Natur exhibition or stay over to hear the inspiring talks by Bio-art legend Phil Ross (US), artist Zeger Reyers and Professor of Mutualistic Interactions Toby Kiers,on fungal design and cheating micro-organisms.
Starting at 20:00 is the official opening of Kunstformen der Natur.

Why we work with fungi

Fungi are organisms that have an enormous cultural potential that we are only just starting to discover. Some people even claim that they will save the world. For Mediamatic fungi are a source of new materials that can replace many synthetics in the 21st century. They play an important role in our food systems al well as having great symbolical value. That why we like to work with them on many levels.

Bio-me

How will designing with organisms change our perspective on art, design, food and beer? Find out at Bio-me. 3 Days of workshops, talks, tastings, Fermentology! and the expo Kunstformen Der Natur. The Myco Design Lab is part of the Bio-me program. For further information on the complete program, visit www.mediamatic.net/biome.