Mushrooms in art

Mushrooms have been founded in art traditions around the world, including in western and non-western works.[1] Ranging throughout those cultures, works of art that depict mushrooms can be found in ancient and contemporary times. Often, symbolic associations can also be given to the mushrooms depicted in the works of art. For instance, in Mayan culture, mushroom stones have been found that depict faces in a dreamlike or trance-like expression,[2] which could signify the importance of mushrooms giving hallucinations or trances. Another example of mushrooms in Mayan culture deals with their cordices, some of which might have depicted hallucinogenic mushrooms.[3] Other examples of mushroom usage in art from various cultures include the Pegtymal petroglyphs of Russia and Japanese Netsuke figurines.[1]

Examples of mushrooms being depicted in contemporary art are also prevalent. For example, a contemporary Japanese piece depicts baskets of matsutake mushrooms laid atop bank notes, signifying the association of mushrooms and prosperity.[1] Other examples of contemporary art depicting fungi include Anselm Kiefer’s Über Deutschland and Sonja Bäumel’s Objects not static and silent but alive and talking.[4] These contemporary works often outline themes greatly undercurrent in modern times, themes such as sustainable living, new materials, and ethical considerations associated with the science of fungi and bio technologies.[4] In fact, working with fungi allows contemporary artists to create art that is interactive and performative.[5]

Mushroom symbolism has also appeared in Christian paintings as well. For instance, in Hieronymus Bosch’s painting, The Garden of Earthly Delight, the mushroom Amanita muscaria can be seen on the left-hand panel of the work.[6] In fact, when considering the mushroom of Amanita muscaria, artistic representations throughout the ages show the association it has with psychotropic properties, being represented as being used for social, religious, and therapeutic purposes.[6]