Festive opening of the exhibition Towards a Ruined Theater.
In Towards a Ruined Theater, artists and scientists together explore the world of fungi, aiming to better understand this hidden world to gain insight into the complex web of life that sustains our planet. Drawing from their diverse practices—architecture, mycology, graphic design, performance, and sculpture—they reflect on themes such as creativity, impermanence, and transformation. On April 24 the installation begins its unique journey.
Beneath our feet lies a hidden world, a marvel of nature woven from microscopic threads that collectively form mycelium. This intricate network serves as the unseen architect of our planet, shaping ecosystems for hundreds of millions of years. Mycelium comprises the body of most fungi, often invisible to the naked eye—though it can also sprout from the ground in the familiar form of mushrooms. Yet, mushrooms are merely the tip of the iceberg. The true power of mycelium lies in its ability to connect and transform. It plays a crucial role in decomposing organic material, returning essential nutrients to the soil, fostering healthy ecosystems, and ensuring an endless cycle of life and growth.
Architect Sébastien Tripod, graphic & floral designer Deborah Robbiano, and choreographer and researcher Sara Manente collaborate on this installation on fungal imagery. Having created architectural fungi columns, they aim to imagine an entire theater in collaboration with fungi and molds. The theater transforms into a living compost where the boundary between process and product blurs. Imagine a theater as a ruin: a place constantly changing, like a garden through the seasons, in an infinite cycle of growth and decay.
Various scientific and artistic projects demonstrate how mycelium can be used as an active component, with the potential to reform our material culture and way of life. They represent the current state of research on mycelium and are the result of collaboration with the Microbiology Research Group (MICR).
An example of such innovative process is self-healing concrete, based on fungi. Although concrete is a widely used building material, it often suffers from cracks leading to corrosion and material degradation. PhD researcher Aurélie Van Wylick explores a promising solution to enhance its durability by using fungi as self-healing living material. Also showcased in the exhibition is research by postdoctoral researcher Elise Elsacker and PhD researcher Simon Vandelook, seeking ways to transform mycelium into a material resembling leather. The goal is to create a fully natural, biodegradable material.
ORGANIZATION
Curated by Sara Manente, Sébastien Tripod and Deborah Robbiano & contributions from Research Group of Microbiology VUB.
The exhibition and side events are organized by Pilar x VUB Crosstalks, in collaboration with Kaaitheater as part of A Series of More-Than-Human Encounters.
