Fungi: Anarchist Designers review – a perverse plunge into mushroom mayhem, from stinkhorns to zombie-makers

A recent exhibition titled "Fungi: Anarchist Designers" plunges viewers into a world of eerie fascination, where nature is portrayed as an unyielding force beyond human control. Sylvia Plath's poem Mushrooms, first published in 1959, serves as a foreboding introduction to the unforgiving realm of fungi, which have been thriving on Earth for over a billion years.

These mysterious organisms outmaneuver human attempts at domination and conformity. They thrive on discarded, dead, and dying things, fueling an endless cycle of decay and regrowth. Coprophilic, necrophilic, and silent assassins, fungi are legion, exerting their influence on every corner of our existence.

The exhibition, curated by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing and Feifei Zhou, delves into the fascinating yet unsettling world of fungal design, highlighting how these organisms defy human command. A timelapse film featuring a basket stinkhorn's transformation from fleshy phallus to umbrella-like structure illustrates their unyielding persistence.

As curator Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing puts it, "Fungi refuse the commands of human masters and abide by human standards of propriety." They adapt to humanity's worst habits, turning industrial trade into ecological disasters and rendering vast fields vulnerable to disease. Fungal infections have claimed lives in hospitals and beyond, including those resistant to multiple drugs.

The exhibition also features a striking installation showcasing historic architectural drawings marred by fungal discoloration, as well as "mycelial sculptures" by Japanese artist Hajime Imamura. Lizan Freijsen's tufted floor objects appear as patches of dry rot, while Michael Poulsen's model of a termite mound highlights the symbiotic relationship between fungi and termites.

A film exploring the mysterious bond between matsutake mushrooms and Japanese pine forests serves as a poignant reminder of the intricate relationships within ecosystems. The "architecture must rot" installation reveals how materials are broken down by fungal growth, challenging our perceptions of architecture's permanence.

Ultimately, the exhibition concludes on a hopeful note, urging viewers to rethink their interactions with the more-than-human world and envision futures shaped by cooperation rather than domination. As we delve into this eerie yet captivating realm, it becomes clear that humanity is indeed at risk: "Our foot's in the door."

I'm loving this exhibit ! It's so mind-blowing to see how fungi just take over and destroy all these structures... architecture can be so beautiful, but I guess it's not meant to last forever . And have you seen those sculptures? They're like something out of a sci-fi movie! The way they highlight the importance of coexisting with nature is really thought-provoking. We need more people thinking about this stuff and trying to find new ways to live in harmony with the environment. It's crazy to think that fungi can actually help us, like by breaking down all that toxic waste . I'm definitely going to be thinking about these exhibits for a while...

I'm low-key obsessed with this exhibition "Fungi: Anarchist Designers" It's like, who knew fungi could be so fascinating and terrifying at the same time? ️ The way they just outsmart us humans and thrive in all these environments is wild. Like, have you seen those stinkhorn mushrooms turn into umbrella-like structures? And the timelapse film of a basket fungus growing from fleshy phallus to this whole new thing? Mind blown!

I also love how the exhibition shows us our own worst habits and how fungi just amplify them. Like, industrial trade turning into ecological disasters? Yeah, no thanks. And those mycelial sculptures by Hajime Imamura? So beautiful and unsettling at the same time. I'm definitely going to be thinking about this exhibition a lot more than I thought I would. It's not just about fungi, it's about our relationship with nature and how we can do better.

I mean, come on... fungi are literally everywhere and have been for a billion years. They're not exactly "outmaneuvering" us or whatever. Like, we've figured out how to use them to our advantage already - think of medicine! But seriously, these exhibits do highlight the weird symbiotic relationships between humans and fungi, especially in architecture. I love how they show these buildings with fungal growths all over them. It's like, yeah, buildings are supposed to rot eventually...

And don't even get me started on how "fungal design" is a thing now? Like, what does that even mean? Fungi just kinda do their own thing. They don't have some sort of collective consciousness or anything. It's just biology, folks! But hey, if the exhibits can make us rethink our relationship with nature, then I'm all for it. Maybe we should be more like fungi and adapt to changing conditions instead of trying to control everything?

just saw that malaria cases are on the rise again worldwide with over 228 million reported cases in 2022 alone... and the death toll isn't looking good either with over 600,000 fatalities recorded last year... no wonder the WHO is sounding the alarm about the threat of antimicrobial resistance gotta rethink our entire approach to healthcare

I gotta say, this exhibition "Fungi: Anarchist Designers" sounds like a wild ride . I mean, who knew fungi could be so fascinating and unsettling at the same time? It's crazy to think about how these organisms have been thriving on Earth for over a billion years, outsmarting human attempts at control. The way they break down our materials and turn them into compost is just mind-blowing .

I'm also loving the part where it highlights the symbiotic relationship between fungi and termites – it's like nature's own conspiracy theory . And that film about matsutake mushrooms and Japanese pine forests? Give me chills . It's a reminder that our actions have consequences, not just for humans but for the entire ecosystem.

The exhibition seems to be saying we need to rethink our relationship with the natural world – like, let's not try to dominate it all the time . Let's work together and find ways to coexist. It's a hopeful message, especially when it says "our foot's in the door" – I guess that means we've got a chance to make things right .

I'm low-key obsessed with this fungi exhibition ! It's like, totally mind-blowing how these organisms can outsmart us and take over entire ecosystems. I mean, they're like the ultimate recyclers, turning our trash into their own food source . And the way they adapt to human destruction is just wild - it's like we're the ones who should be learning from them, not the other way around .

The art pieces in this exhibition are giving me major feels, too . I love how Lizan Freijsen's dry rot tufted floor objects make you feel all uneasy and stuff . And that timelapse film of the stinkhorn basket is like, totally mesmerizing ! It's like they're saying, "Hey humans, we've got this whole 'nature is in control' thing down pat."

But seriously, I think this exhibition is a real wake-up call for us to rethink our relationship with the environment . We need to start seeing ourselves as part of the ecosystem, not just on top of it . So let's take a cue from these fungal superstars and try to be more... um, less destructive

I mean, have you ever stopped to think about how much our society tries to control everything around us? We design buildings, create products, and even try to 'improve' nature itself. But the truth is, we're just trying to impose order on a world that's fundamentally messy and unpredictable. Fungi are like the ultimate rebels, refusing to be tamed or harnessed for our own purposes. They remind us that there's beauty in decay and chaos, and that sometimes the best way forward is to learn to live with (and even lean into) uncertainty.

It's also kinda wild to think about how fungi have been thriving on this planet for a billion years, while we're still figuring out what it means to be human. It's like they're saying, "Hey, you humans think you're the smartest thing going? Newsflash: we've got news for you." Seriously though, I think this exhibition is an incredible reminder that there's so much more to learn from nature and the world around us than our own ego-driven desires.

Man, I just got out of this sick exhibition on fungi ! It was like stepping into a whole different world, you know? Where nature's just chillin', being its unyielding self and we're just trying to keep up. I mean, these organisms have been around for over a billion years, just thriving in all the dead, decaying stuff they can find. It's like they're saying, "Hey, humans, you think you're so smart with your fancy designs and buildings? Well, let me show you what real power looks like."

But at the same time, it was kinda beautiful... in a dark, eerie way. Like, have you ever seen those stinkhorn mushrooms turn into this umbrella thingy? It's like they're defying all human logic just to survive . And the way they adapt to our worst habits? That's some next-level stuff right there.

I gotta admit, it made me think about how we interact with nature and whether we should be trying to control it more or if we should just let it be its weird, wonderful self. Maybe we can learn from these little fungi and find a way to coexist instead of dominating them?

I gotta say, this exhibition sounds super trippy! Fungi are like, literally the ultimate underdog story - they just keep thriving and adapting despite all our attempts to stop them. It's wild how they can turn industrial waste into ecological disasters... kinda like we're doing to the planet . But at the same time, I love how this exhibition is trying to flip that script and show us how fungi can actually be a source of inspiration for design and cooperation . That whole "architecture must rot" thing has me thinking... maybe our buildings aren't as permanent as we thought? It's all pretty mind-blowing stuff

I'm totally fascinated by this exhibition ! It's like, have you ever stopped to think about how much fungi are actually just taking over everything? They're everywhere, from our bodies (eww) to the soil we walk on. It's wild that they can infect plants and animals alike and basically turn them into puppets for their own growth. And those "mycelial sculptures" by Hajime Imamura? Mind-blowing ! I mean, who needs art when you have nature's own weird and wonderful creations already happening all around us?

I love how the exhibition is trying to make us rethink our relationship with the natural world – it's time we stop thinking of ourselves as the center of everything and start seeing things from a more... fungal perspective ! It's a bit unsettling, but also kinda inspiring? I mean, if we can learn to live with (or even rely on) these microscopic monsters, maybe we'll find a way to fix some of our environmental messes. Fingers crossed .

I'm totally freaked out after seeing this exhibition ! Like, how can these tiny organisms just take over and ruin our precious infrastructure? I mean, have you seen those fungal infections killing off entire fields of crops? And don't even get me started on the whole "architecture must rot" vibe – it's like, what's next? Our homes, our schools, our hospitals gonna fall apart too? It's so unsettling to think about how nature is this unstoppable force that we can't control. I guess what I'm trying to say is, this exhibition has opened my eyes (and mind) in a pretty intense way...

idk... I mean, I kinda love how fungi are just like, totally taking over our world without us even realizing it But at the same time, isn't it a bit too much? like, i get it, they're fascinating and all but can't we just try to coexist instead of being all "oh no, humans are so weak" I mean, what's up with the whole coprophilic thing tho? aren't those just kinda gross? But hey, on the bright side, maybe if we just start thinking about our place in the ecosystem more... who knows, maybe we can find a way to work together instead of trying to dominate nature

I gotta disagree with all this hype about fungi being the ultimate rebels ... I mean, they're just trying to survive like every other living thing. And those poems by Sylvia Plath? Way too dramatic for my taste . They're just describing what happens when things start to rot and decay. It's not exactly revolutionary. And don't even get me started on the whole "fungi as ecosystem disruptors" thing ... they're just a part of nature, doing their job like everyone else. I mean, humans are the ones who mess up the planet, not fungi ... let's focus on fixing our own problems instead of trying to villainize them .

I'm fascinated by this exhibition, it's like stepping into a whole new world . I mean, who knew fungi could be so...intimidating? It's crazy how they outsmart us humans with their decay and regrowth cycle. And have you seen those time-lapse videos of stinkhorn mushrooms? Mind-blowing!

But seriously, the way it highlights our dependence on fungi for ecosystem balance is kinda scary. Like, we rely on them to break down organic matter in soil, but also, they can be these silent assassins that destroy entire ecosystems. Not exactly something you want to mess with .

The artwork itself is stunning too! I love how the mycelial sculptures by Hajime Imamura look like a mix between sci-fi and nature. And Lizan Freijsen's tufted floor objects? Totally eerie . It's all so thought-provoking, you know?

For me, the exhibition leaves us with this haunting question: what happens when we can't control our own footprints anymore? It's like, we're already losing battles to climate change and pollution...if we start to acknowledge that fungi are masters of adaptation too, it might just be a wake-up call for our relationship with the natural world. Food for thought!

omg u guys i just got back from this crazy exhibition "Fungi: Anarchist Designers" was literally blowing my mind the way they depicted these organisms as like, the ultimate rebels against human control it's wild to think that fungi have been thriving on earth for like a billion years and we're still learning about them

i loved how they highlighted the symbiotic relationship between fungi and termites it's so cool to see how these two species coexist in this mutually beneficial way but at the same time, there are some serious warnings here too i mean, fungal infections can be super deadly especially when you've got people who are resistant to multiple drugs

anyway, what really stuck with me was the timelapse film of a stinkhorn mushroom growing from this fleshy phallus into this umbrella-like structure it's like nature is saying "nope, humans, we're good" and just carrying on with its own thing

this exhibition sounds really thought-provoking I mean, who knew fungi could be so...intimidating? they're like nature's ultimate rebels, thriving on our dead stuff and messing with our plans. it's both fascinating and unsettling to see how they're always one step ahead of us.

I love the idea that the exhibition is trying to make us rethink our relationship with the natural world. maybe we should be learning from fungi's approach instead of trying to control everything? it's also interesting to see how art can be used to highlight these weird and wonderful organisms.

anyway, I'm definitely going to check out this exhibition...and try not to get too creeped out by all the fungal stuff

just saw this exhibition "Fungi: Anarchist Designers" & I'm shook these organisms are like nature's own dark magic... outmaneuvering human attempts at control, thriving on decay & destruction. it's wild to see how fungi adapt to humanity's worst habits, turning industrial trade into ecological disasters. can't help but think about our own mortality when faced with these silent assassins...

I mean, fungi are just so fascinating but also kinda scary, right? Like, who knew they could be so bad for us? And that Sylvia Plath poem is giving me chills... her words really capture the eerie feeling of being outmatched by nature. I'm not sure about this "cooporation" thing though, can we just appreciate fungi for what they are without trying to control them or anything?