Exhibition:

Mind the Fungi | Art & Design Residencies

Theresa Schubert
Fara Peluso


3 July 2020 – 28 December 2020
Opening: 2 July 2020, 6 – 8 pm

Curated by Regine Rapp & Christian de Lutz

FUTURIUM / Futurium Lab, Alexanderufer 2, 10117 Berlin
Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat, Son 10 am – 6 pm, Thu 10 am – 8 pm, Tue closed, Free entrance





The Artist- and Design-Residencies of Mind the Fungi with artist Theresa Schubert and artist designer Fara Peluso bring in art and design as constructive sources of ideas for this research project. Schubert studied the effects of sound on fungal growth. Peluso has done research on new biomaterials on the basis of algae and fungi symbiosis. The artistic and design related works are a result of a close collaboration with both departments of TU Berlin’s Institute of Biotechnology – Prof. Vera Meyer’s department of Applied Molecular Microbiology and Prof. Peter Neubauer’s department Bioprocess Engineering.


For artist Theresa Schubert fungi are perfect network metaphors, not only due to their aesthetics but also as a philosophy of relations, process and space. For her Box Experiment she built soundproofed boxes with speakers and selected fungi mycelia stemming from the public Walk & Talks. For several weeks, the fungi were ‘listening’ to a specific sound frequency. Schubert was excited to see this had an effect on mycelial growth and metabolism. From this she developed the interactive video installation Sound for fungi. Homage to Indeterminacy that stimulates virtual fungi hyphae and via a hand tracking sensor letting visitors take on the role of a sound, modulating the hyphae growth and movement.

Artist designer Fara Peluso works in Material Driven Design and Bioart and connects human beings with nature, organisms and biological processes. Niche is a hybrid installation and living sculpture, which explores co-existence between fungi and algae microorganisms. Taking inspiration from symbiotic relationship between these organisms in lichens, Peluso combines nature, biotechnology and art. The sculpture Zweisamkeit combines an oak wood topography and several layers of biofilm representing form in metamorphosis. It reflects on human development of the landscape, focusing on how we have defined and shaped our natural surroundings, but are in turn shaped by biological forces in the environment.


Mind the Fungi (2018-20) is a collaborative project between the Institute of Biotechnology TU Berlin and Art Laboratory Berlin. Biotechnologists and process engineers are researching local tree fungi and lichens (Prof. Vera Meyer/ Applied Molecular Microbiology; Prof. Peter Neubauer / Bioprocess Engineering). The focus is on developing new ideas and technologies for fungal and lichen based materials for the future. Art Laboratory Berlin bridges the gap between science, art, design and the public and offers various Citizen Science formats. The Artist- and Design-Residencies with Fara Peluso and Theresa Schubert bring in art and design as constructive sources of ideas for this research project. (More information)

Thanks to Vera Meyer, Bertram Schmidt, Carsten Pohl as well as Peter Neubauer and Stefan Junne.

With the generous support of the Technische Universität Berlin as part of the program Citizen Science - Forschen mit der Gesellschaft: