Amid the scenic backdrop of autumn in Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Gardens, the Inverleith House Gallery displays an unusual and fascinating exhibition: a fusion of visual arts and a scientific evaluation of fungi.
Upon entry, a large projection screen illuminates the room in a mystic blue glow, zooming in on microscopic details, making it almost possible to miss Simon Faithfull’s Biotopes. 3D living sculptures of his head spring from the walls with live jelly ear, blue oyster, and reishi mushrooms sprouting from his open lips as if he’s screaming: serving as a powerful reminder of the undeniable connection between humans and nature. Whilst these sculptures might not actually scream, Hannah Read’s The Fungi Sessions Vol 1 echoes around the space, imitating the fragile yet powerful force of fungi that attacks the viewer from all angles. This striking display is almost as disturbing as it is extraordinary, perfectly capturing the paradoxical nature of fungi as both captivating and disgusting, yet fundamentally necessary to our world.
Fungi’s psychedelic powers find a surprising avenue in fashion. Hallucinogenic patterns from Stella McCartney’s 2022 Summer Campaign span the walls creating a mesmerising effect, which were used as print for her collection exploring the future as fungi. This future goes beyond patterns inspiring hope, with the success of mycelium (root structure in fungus) in creating a cruelty-free and more environmentally friendly alternative to leather. With a crucial need for sustainability in fashion, the future looks promising.
The last room of the exhibition houses Matty Bovan’s Stinkhorn dress created for Sion Parkinson. This dress encapsulates the exhibition through its emphasis on the olfactory heritage of mushrooms, theatrically using smells and shapes to create a weird and wonderful result, revealing a new appreciation for fungi in the visual arts.
Funghi Forms is on show at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic gardens until December 8th.
Image taken by Hannah Doran.