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Amanita: Mushroom and What it Stands for

“Amanita” show by Peter Lu was so different from what I’ve been expecting to see and it completely shocked and surprised me. I always thought that an exhibition should be in a large room with pieces of art work hanging on the walls and viewers simply need to walk around the room to understand the meaning and connection between the art works. “Amanita” is a totally different kind of exhibition. 

Me at the exhibition

Inspired by Phil Ross, an American artist and teacher interested in the experimental possibilities of fungal design and buildings, Lu planted mushrooms on everyday things. Since visitors have to enter on by one, there is a long line at the entrance; however, it is the long wait that allows me to take a close look at the decoration that Lu put up in the hallway. Everything was related to the theme of mushroom. Mushroom drawings were hanged the wall and even the deserts and drinks were made of mushroom. Outside the exhibition room, there was a picture of mushroom and the notes on it said: “Dangerous mushroom stay out!” making people wonder what was inside.

Dangerous mushroom stay out!

When I finally got into the exhibition room, I was confused by what I saw. Filled up with mushrooms, the room was decorated to a majestic throne room. There were grass on the ground and numerous mushrooms grew on it. A throne was in the center of the room. A female wearing a white dress with a crown on her head was sitting on throne while the male next to her was having his knees down. Both of them were holding their positions and there seemed be some of kind of tension in the room. On the other hand, I felt a sense of peace being surrounded by the mushrooms and grass. When interviewed by Daily Bruin, Lu revealed his intention of the exhibition, to raise “the social awareness of environmental friendliness.” (Daily Bruin)

Mushrooms everywhere

Even though it is not obvious, Lu’s work is actually a product of the collaboration between art and science. I always though that mushroom can only grow on the ground; however, Lu indeed grew mushrooms everywhere, on furnitures, ropes, and even the throne, which is impossible without scientific knowledge and experiments. According to the Daily Bruin, he experimented the plating mushrooms on a variety of objects, including sweaters, jeans, and toys and viewed the process of preparing the mushrooms even more important than the actual work itself.  

Source

 "UCLA Graduate Student Cultivates Identity through Mushroom Art." Daily Bruin. Web. 24 May 2015. <http://dailybruin.com/2015/04/07/ucla-graduate-student-cultivates-identity-through-mushroom-art/>