Natural Dependencies

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Trixie, Scheldestraat 1-11, The Hague,  16 - 31 October 2021 (open Friday - Sunday)
Opening: 15 October, 18:00 - 22:00 






Natural Dependencies is a multimedia exhibition about the connectivity of all living things, using mycelium as a metaphor. In the exhibition we highlight the apparent fragility of relationships around us, both social as well as natural relationships, and also question this apparent division. Many creatures in nature depend on one another – and this has become painfully visible in recent ecological destruction.

Fungi are the masters of adaptability and their abilities reach far beyond our current comprehension. Sometimes they play a connecting role, bringing organisms together through huge below-ground mycelium networks, sometimes they decompose what’s no longer alive ultimately to create new life again. It is undeniable that we would not be alive on this planet today if it wasn’t for fungi bringing plants to land from water ages ago.

Oftentimes fungi confuse us and break our definitions of what an individual is. A lot of the time we tend to focus on boundaries rather than our connections, in research as well as in culture. It is socially encouraged to become as independent as possible throughout your lifetime, dependency on another person or object can be seen as a weakness. We think that by acknowledging these moments of connection and how valuable they are, we can become more appreciative of what is around us and have a better sense of belonging.

From filtration systems and mushroom inks to the fungal network and a scent inspired by the communication between plants and fungi; all works in the exhibition feature mycelium in one way or the other. The exhibiting artists are Catherine Ostraya, Merle Bergers, Sophie Steengracht & Suzette Bousema.