Something Bigger: Of Mushrooms and Men (2020)
There is a lot about fungus to love, whether one is looking at the rich and ancient history they have on this planet, the baffling array of biodiversity that exists in them today, or the potential solutions they hold for our human future. You might be surprised, too, to discover that fungi and humans are actually pretty similar. For my graphic design senior capstone, I decided to explore my passion for mycology (the study of fungi) through a range of media, all of which explore the complex relationship between man and mushroom. My work focuses largely on establishing the relationship by highlighting the formal and functional similarities between humans and fungi. Because this topic relies on scientific research and uncommon knowledge, I make a point in my work to be educational, engaging, and accessible.
The majority of these works were displayed in the Honors exhibition, A Paraphernalia of Human Experience. Currently, they are a part of the Senior Capstone, Something Bigger.
Of Mushrooms and Men
Of Mushrooms and Men is the brochure I created in Adobe Illustrator to introduce my audience to the content of my exhibition. Backed by credible research, it provides evidence of the similarities between man and mushroom starting from evolution and genetics and progressing through to similarities in action. There are three main goals in this brochure. Firstly, to provide legitimacy that proves the science behind the rest of my pieces. Secondly, to educate! Finally, to inspire questions in the reader and encourage them to approach the exhibition with an open mind.
Outside
The circular stand in the top left of this image I actually grew from mycelium (mushroom roots) myself!
Inside
The Hyphal Knot
The Hyphal Knot is a series of micron drawings on watercolor paper mounted on wood panels that compares recognizable stages of the human life cycle with those of fungi. The relationship between the present organisms is innocent, nurturing, and intimate, emphasizing my views on the real life relationship. Because the comparison is straight forward and shows a clear progression of time, it is easy for a viewer with no knowledge of mycology to understand the stages of a mushroom's life.
Side by Side
A linoleum print cut and mounted on wooden blocks, Side by Side is another direct comparison between the formal and functional aspects of men and mushrooms. The top left panel depicts both species' pores; the bottom right draws analogies between the structure of mycelium and neural connections in the human brain. Did you know that some oyster mushrooms will "lasso" their prey in the soil like coybows? Or that one of the fastest accelerating organisms is Pilobolus crystallinus, which launches its spore cap like a rocket?
50/50
50/50 is participatory. Audience members are given a piece of paper and a collection of linoleum stamps. Half of the stamps are inspired by human patterns and textures (hair, fingerprints, taste buds) and half by fungi (gills, spores, mycelium). They are, however, randomly sorted. After using these stamps to create a mushroom, participants are encouraged to use the included Texture Guide to see if their mushrooms are really as fungal as they think.
The presented prints are from previous participants and some by me to act as inspiration for using the stamps in creative ways.
The process was outlined clearly (above).
The texture guide to determine the ration of mushroom to man (below).
Are We Men or Are We Mushroom?
One of the oldest methods of evoking sympathy for non-human things is to personify them as humans. That is the purpose of Of Mushrooms and Men. My first exploration into creating animated gifs in Adobe Animate CC, each of these characters is a personification of a different species of mushroom. Their actions and personalities are reflections of actual facts. For example, the benign giant puffball mushroom is known for producing massive amounts of spores--thus we have a friendly carrier. The fly agaric, a popular mushroom, has some hallucinogenic capabilities, so she sticks out her tongue to reveal a tab of acid.
Displayed on a television accompanying the gifs was this collection of images to the right. Reminiscent of yearbook entries, these images were included to educate the audience about the different species, including the scientific and popular names as well as fun fun facts--especially those relevant to the designs of the animated characters.
Similarities between form and function had been well explored in other works of the exhibition, but by humanizing the mushrooms and giving them relatable personalities, I removed the emotional boundary as well.
We Both Decay
Fungi are strange. And they can be scary. After all, they can be poisonous, cause rot and decay, and even infect our bodies. This is the biggest hurdle I faced in creating a relationship between man and mushroom. Instead of promoting innocence to counter their scary reputation, I leaned into it.
With a few witty "greeting cards" and an enamel pin, I admit that fungi can be a symbol of death. And that it can be pretty funny, too. With the animated conversation between a corpse and the fungus eating it that I created in Adobe Photoshop, however, I remind the audience of a somber truth: fungi, like any organisms, do not want to die either.
Stoned Ape Hypothesis
In 1992, Terence McKenna posited the "Stoned Ape Theory." More a hypothesis, it stated that as climate change moved early humans to the plains, they encountered and ingested mushrooms that contained psilocybin. This, he said, led to a slew of side effects, including but not limited to increased visual acuity, heightened arousal, a growing and altered sense of spirituality, and the increase of new neural connections in the brain. All of these led to the human brain doubling in a very, very short amount of time.
Science confirms these effects of psilocybin, and the human brain did grow exponentially, but there is no concrete evidence that proves the Stoned Ape Theory. Still, the interesting question stands: did shrooms lead to the doubling of the early human brain and, ultimately, the existence and consciousness we have today? Theories about psychedelic substances are easily cast in a negative light, especially when made by proponents of the drugs' use, but I believe the "Stoned Ape Theory" deserves a second look.
