Jane Fox is growing probiotic microbial cellulose and mycelium for sculpture.
Living materials are fed, incubated, fermented and grown. This is a new perspective for sculpture. Conventional materials can be expensive to manufacture and buy.
Probiotics and mycelium are economic, light-weight and durable.
Until recently, Scoby microbial cellulose and mycelium were regarded as the bi-products of brewing Kombucha (probiotic tea) and mushroom farming. Today they are valuable and used widely across different industries.
The Design Department at Central St Martins School, London are researching applications for fashion and textiles.
‘Ecovative’ in New York state are developing building materials, funiture, packaging and food from mycelium. Mycelium sculpture and architecture is rapidly advancing.