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| resilients:go_ask_a_mushroom [2013-02-07 00:35] – alkan | resilients:go_ask_a_mushroom [2013-02-11 11:51] – natabor |
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| By Natalia Borissova | By Natalia Borissova |
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| What possible intelligent natural systems can we look to for inspiration and guidance in the patterning of our human living environments, and for sketching out a kind of positive vision for a coming "afterculture"? How can we innovate more naturally? Assuming that humans are not the only intelligent organisms on this planet, I am interested to look into "plant intelligence" in relation to resilient life after culture. Granted, there’s nothing new in assigning to the "mushroom" the role of a multifunctional "world healer," nor in trying to engage this intelligent organism in the remediation of culture, but still -- when talking about collaboration, art and life, we can’t overlook the lowly mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus). | What possible intelligent natural systems can we look to for inspiration and guidance in the patterning of our human living environments, and for sketching out a kind of positive vision for a coming "afterculture"? How can we innovate more naturally? Assuming that humans are not the only artful organisms on this planet, I am interested to look into "plant intelligence" in relation to resilient life after culture. Granted, there’s nothing new in assigning to the "mushroom" the role of a multifunctional "world healer," nor in trying to engage this keen organism in the remediation of culture, but still -- when talking about collaboration, art and life, we can’t overlook the lowly mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus). |
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| //"We are born from fungi. 600 million years ago we separated from fungi. Fungi are our ancestors."\\ | //"We are born from fungi. 600 million years ago we separated from fungi. Fungi are our ancestors."\\ |
| === Spawning the resilium === | === Spawning the resilium === |
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| In nature, mycelium links all the elements of the ecosystem together simply by carrying on its usual life cycle. It unlocks nutrient sources stored in plants and other organisms, converts rocks and organic debris to ingorganic matters, redistributes nutrients to wherever they are most needed, fertilises the soil and maintains its diversity. It does essential life-enhancing work at the grassroots in constant dialogue with the environment. Human intervention damages wild nature, artificial fertilizers cause mycelia to retreat and the soil to lose its vibrancy. But mycelial networks are resilient, survive catastrophes and are able to re-grow. They remediate poisoned lands, decompose toxic wastes and radioactive pollutants. If fungi can thrive even on toxins, why not look to them in the remediation of societies and the mycofiltration of contemporary cultures that are often overburdened and poisoned by relentless abuse of power and polluted by late capitalist values. | In nature, mycelium links all the elements of the ecosystem together simply by carrying on its usual life cycle. It unlocks nutrient sources stored in plants and other organisms, converts rocks and organic debris to inorganic matters, redistributes nutrients to wherever they are most needed, fertilises the soil and maintains its diversity. It does essential life-enhancing work at the grassroots in constant dialogue with the environment. Human intervention damages wild nature, artificial fertilizers cause mycelia to retreat and the soil to lose its vibrancy. But mycelial networks are resilient, survive catastrophes and are able to re-grow. They remediate poisoned lands, decompose toxic wastes and radioactive pollutants. If fungi can thrive even on toxins, why not look to them in the remediation of societies and the mycofiltration of contemporary cultures that are often overburdened and poisoned by relentless abuse of power and polluted by late capitalist values. |
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| I believe one of the most significant problems with contemporary art is that it over com.modified -- tends to focus on the "objects" themselves -- surface appearances and formal pragmatic constructs -- rather than on relationships between the varying parts and how they treat each other. These relationships are what turn a collection of unrelated "matter" into a self functioning whole, whether it’s a garden, cultural community, or an ecosystem. By cultivating relationship we can save resources, energy, labour, not to mention ourselves, and work towards creating a holistic society. | I believe one of the most significant problems with contemporary art is that it over com.modified -- tends to focus on the "objects" themselves -- surface appearances and formal pragmatic constructs -- rather than on relationships between the varying parts and how they treat each other. These relationships are what turn a collection of unrelated "matter" into a self functioning whole, whether it’s a garden, cultural community, or an ecosystem. By cultivating relationship we can save resources, energy, labour, not to mention ourselves, and work towards creating a holistic society. |
| What environmental layout or design could be called "nature-logical"? I would say that it is an "open" one that links many possible organisms into one heterogeneous kingdom of useful relationships and mutually beneficial connections -- among microbes, fungi, plants, insects, birds, mammals, and all the other inhabitants of our world, including the human species. Each individual organism has multiple roles and is interconnected within the system; edges are optimised and resources reused. Problems, limitations and mistakes are embraced creatively, and the environment thrives. There is no need to impose artificial connections from the outside. The design of this self-sustaining ecosystem differs from the formal, monocultural approach, where the parts are mostly disconnected from each other, serve just one single purpose, and require a lot of labour and resources to maintain. | What environmental layout or design could be called "nature-logical"? I would say that it is an "open" one that links many possible organisms into one heterogeneous kingdom of useful relationships and mutually beneficial connections -- among microbes, fungi, plants, insects, birds, mammals, and all the other inhabitants of our world, including the human species. Each individual organism has multiple roles and is interconnected within the system; edges are optimised and resources reused. Problems, limitations and mistakes are embraced creatively, and the environment thrives. There is no need to impose artificial connections from the outside. The design of this self-sustaining ecosystem differs from the formal, monocultural approach, where the parts are mostly disconnected from each other, serve just one single purpose, and require a lot of labour and resources to maintain. |
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| We are in fact the sometimes disconnected parts of one natural whole. Let's dream that by learning from these models and principles, the human addiction to domination and the "mono" attitude can gradually change in favour of dynamic rotations, symbiotic communities, and altered senses of reality… | We are in fact the sometimes disconnected parts of one natural whole. Let's hallucinate that by elaborating these models and principles, the human addiction to domination and the "mono" attitude can gradually change in favour of dynamic rotations, symbiotic communities, and altered senses of reality… |
nik