Through the “LuminousNetworks” project, funded by the Fraunhofer “Science, Art, and Design” network, an extraordinary collaboration between research and artistic practice is taking shape. In collaboration with visual artist Malte Taffner, project leader Dr. Henrik-Alexander Christ from the Fraunhofer WKI is exploring the creative and societal potential of mycelium-based materials.

“We want to introduce the general public to the fascinating possibilities offered by the utilization of fungal mycelium. Malte Taffner draws on our technological expertise in order to create impressive sculptures from wood residues and living mycelium. As a result, the unique properties of this sustainable material can be experienced in a completely new way,” said Dr. Christ.

In his artistic approach, Malte Taffner combines technological innovations with current issues regarding diversity and protection as survival strategies in nature and for social communities. Taffner’s works draw on the iconography of Greek mythology, while simultaneously deconstructing and reimagining it for the present day. This is achieved through the unique materiality and coloration of the Ganoderma spp., a family of shelf fungi cultivated on wood residues. “I use the unique characteristics of the fungal mycelium in my installations in order to aesthetically expand human concepts of protection, cooperation, and diversity in relation to representations of the body and gender,” Taffner explained.

The exhibition focuses on a phenomenon that usually remains hidden from the human eye: the fluorescence of fungal mycelium. Under UV light, the materials begin to glow in intense colors, revealing a previously invisible dimension of biological processes.

“The fascinating play of colors transforms over the course of the mycelium’s development. Using black light on site, as well as photos and video footage, we would like to provide visitors with a closer look at this dazzling world,” explained Dr. Christ.

The exhibition impressively demonstrates how sustainable materials research, artistic work, and social issues can be interwoven with one another, thereby literally presenting fungi in a new light.