Seamos como los hongos: El arte y las enseñanzas del micelio

by Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez

There is a growing interest in fungi and mycelium as a material, the ever-branching connecting threads of the fungal world. The entanglements and how this rhizomatic network functions is not just a fascinating ecological system and material, but carries a profound usefulness as a metaphor for our potential new systems, ways of thinking and behaviors.

Let’s Become Fungal! takes its inspiration from the world of art and mycology and shares innovative practices from Latin America and the Caribbean that are rooted in multispecies collaboration, symbiosis, alliances, non-monetary resource exchange, decentralization, bottom-up methods and mutual dependency­—all in line with the behavior of the mycelium.

Every chapter is phrased as a question. They do not lead to answers, but to twelve teachings addressing for instance collaboration, decoloniality, non-linearity, toxicity, mobilization, biomimicry, death, and being non-binary. Simultaneously it ventures deeper into the world of fungi. The teachings from the fungus may inspire artists, collectives, organizations, educators, policy-makers, designers, scientists, anthropologists, change-makers, curators, urbanists, activists, gardeners, community-leaders, farmers, and many others, to become more fungal in their ways of working and being.

Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez works as a curator and researcher on art and ecology, and is based in Mexico City. She has founded and directed many international initiatives at the intersection of art and ecology, including the Green Art Lab Alliance (Asia, Latin America and Europe) and the Nature Research Department, the Van Eyck Food Lab, and the Future Materials Bank at the Jan van Eyck Academie (NL).

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Art, Science, Philosophy, Ecology, Feminism

Paperback

Published January 1, 2024

About the author

Writer, curator, researcher on art and ecology

Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez is the founder and director of the Green Art Lab Alliance (established in 2012); a network comprising eighty art organizations across Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Caribbean, the United States and Canada. The mission of the alliance is to foster relationships that contribute to social and environmental justice, akin to the interconnected nature of mycelium.

She founded and directed the Nature Research Department at the Jan van Eyck Academie (Netherlands, 2017), the Van Eyck Food Lab (2018), and the Future Materials Bank (2020); a crowd-sourced database of sustainable materials for artists, designers and architects. She organised countless Reading Groups, Food Art Film Festivals and has been curator-in-residence, as well as writer-in-residence, in many art institutions worldwide. She is a self-proclaimed "mycophile", interested in exploring the application of a mycological lens in defining fair models of collaboration and (self) organization. Her debut book, "Let's Become Fungal! Mycelium Teachings and the Arts," shares twelve teachings of the world of fungi. It was published by Valiz and is translated into various languages, including Spanish (Caja Negra), Mandarin (Azoth Books) and Korean (jjokpress). It was selected as one of the Best Dutch Book Designs 2024 and nominated for the Best Book Design Globally 2024.

Reviews

[Milly Cohen]

https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/...

uffff, un libro mega interesante sobre temas importantes para todos
me siento más inteligente luego de leerlo pero en realidad no lo soy (más inteligente)
me siento más cercana a la naturaleza, las relaciones entre lo humano y lo no-humano, las formas de mirar y guardar silencio y estar atenta a los cambios

curiosamente, creo que aprendo más sobre la vida y nuestros errores, sobre los vínculos y la tierra, que sobre los hongos

me impacta tanta gente involucrada en estudiar (los) y estudiar el mundo no humano
me impresionan tantas iniciativas desde el arte, la cultura y los diferentes pueblos indígenas
me inquieta mi inactividad en este entorno "solo vemos aquello que miramos"

me deslumbran, no sólo los conocimientos de la autora, sino su experiencia, su ir y venir y no desistir
y cómo vive con tantas preguntas que sólo el tiempo y la paciencia y la escucha y el mirar detenidamente el mundo, sobre todo el vegetal, le podrán responder algún día
o no

la edición es bella, llena de ilustraciones en blanco y negro y aunque el libro es incómodo e impone (sus 400 páginas, la letra muy negra, muy junta, apretadas las páginas, hay que detenerlas con ambas manos porque se cierran) se lee super fácil

y aunque entienda poco, me llevo mucho
aunque creo que entiendo más de lo que pienso

lo disfruté mucho

[G1001XD]

This is the most important book I’ve ever read. Every single chapter/ teaching is incredibly poignant and has affected me in a very profound way. Will shout its praises from the rooftops and I think it should be a non negotiable book in everyone’s TBR list, as a point of reference for cultural education, collaboration and awareness.

[Renée Davis]

This book is a captivating exploration into the realms of mycology, art, activism, and community organizing. The book, divided into 12 teachings framed as questions, delves deep into the fascinating world of mycelial wandering and thinking.

One of the standout features of the book is its beautiful presentation, with striking artwork and a subtle ghosting effect that adds to its allure. The decision to place text on the long edge enhances the reader's engagement, making it a physically immersive experience.

The author brings together insights from a diverse range of contributors, including mycologists, artists, activists, and community organizers. This collaborative approach results in a rich tapestry of interdisciplinary collaborations and examples of art-science interfaces. The interviews and profiles within the book provide a nuanced understanding of the interconnectedness between different fields. It skillfully examines what fungi can teach us about collaboration, equity, and the potential for positive change. The book serves as a thought-provoking exploration of the lessons that can be drawn from the symbiotic relationships observed in the natural world.

As a reader, one can't help but be inspired by the myriad perspectives presented in the book. The thematic focus on collaboration and equity serves as a call to action for readers to reflect on their own roles within their communities and the broader activist landscape.

It was a joy to read this and I'm excited for more!

[Matthias Dewolf]

imo, één van de meest prikkelende en interessante boeken dat ik in tijden heb gelezen! 🌱

[Orlando Quevedo]

Antes de leer el libro, suponía que desde el estudio/análisis/problematización del hongo y el micelio, habría una apuesta por poner en práctica una ética que escape a los modelos de vida heteronormativos con la singularidad de partir no desde experiencias de disidencias o devenires minoritarios, sino de una especificidad propia de lo que la ciencia ha llamado el "reino Fungi".

De hecho, el libro abre prometiendo algo así. En la introducción se describe el micelio como la estructura subterránea del hongo. Esta estructura llega a introducir sus hifas (algo así como las raíces de las plantas, pero del reino Fungi) en las raíces de los árboles, de manera que "uno no puede distinguir un árbol del otro" porque están conectados. Esto me pareció prometedor porque nos sugiere el entendimiento del árbol no como un ente, sino como órgano de algo más grande. De ello creí que todo el libro seguiría así y profundizaría más.

Pero no. "Seamos como los hongos" va de los viajes que la autora realiza a distintas partes del mundo y de las enseñanzas que recibe por parte de artistas, líderes de comunidades, y todo tipo de activistas. De todos estos encuentros, la autora recoge enseñanzas que pueden tener muchas cosas positivas (por ello supongo que tiene gran cantidad de 5 estrellas) en las que hace un parangón o analogía entre las prácticas colectivas de comunidades minoritarias y el comportamiento de los hongos.

Sin embargo, todo esto no deja de ser anecdotario y no tiene nada de novedoso. Realmente no creo que haya una gran problematización de las enseñanzas ni una profundización en ellas. Por poner un ejemplo: se dice que debemos entender la muerte como parte de la vida porque nuestro cuerpo es consumido por microbacterias, hongos, etc., y que a partir de esto podemos preguntarnos por nuestras prácticas funerarias (la tristeza, el duelo, el entierro, etc). Hasta aquí, todo bien. Pareciera que hay un mundo de posibilidades más allá de esto y que el capitulo recién va a iniciar. De hecho, creo que la autora tiene la posibilidad de hacerse la pregunta: ¿qué pasaría si en vez de enterrarnos en nichos de cemento donde difícilmente pueden entrar las bacterias, nos enterrásemos en fardos sin cajón, debajo de un árbol? Suena de locos porque el trato que tenemos con los cuerpos muertos es casi sagrado. Pero pensar creo que implica justamente esto, hacerse preguntas que parezcan abominables, con el fin de abrirnos camino en el mundo hacia otras maneras de ser. Pero no. La autora cuestiona apenas el duelo, y el capítulo se queda en que debemos pensar en la muerte como parte de la vida. Nada de problematización.

Así todo el libro. Esto, sin mencionar que prácticamente no se habla de hongos a profundidad. Se mencionan varios de ellos, pero solo hay alguna descripción sencilla de los mismos. Y lo de ser como los hongos no va mucho más allá de la premisa de pensarnos como comunidad y no como individuos.

[Evan Broeren]

It took me a long time to finish, because I got quite busy with uni deadlines and had little brainspace left, but whenever I had the space, I was captivated by the book. (kind of the non-linearity of time teaching, the mushroom shows themselves when they want to on their own terms) It is a great introduction to more-than-human practices through the lens of the queendom of fungi which is also practical in the sense that it makes you question your beliefs in a gentle way whilst also providing alternatives. The book gives also space to indigenous voices, a diversity of people and the writer is reflective. The illustrations are so beautiful, especially the colored ones. I loved how the book also interconnected different sectors (as of course all is interconnected). The main reason I picked this book over another more-than-human book was the inclusion of indigenous voices and inclusion of (gender) queerness as one of the teachings and it did definitely not disappoint on either of those. Apparently there's a fungus with over 6 thousand sexual orientations out there?!!!
If you are somewhat interested in more-than-human theory (there's so many book recommendations in this book as well) and how to apply it to your own life, I would highly recommend this one!! And of course if you are interested in fungi (or want to be), this book is also very very cool.

[Tanza]

I loved every moment of this book. Thoughtfully put together, thought provoking, simultaneously hyper-local and expansive, everything you want a book like this to be and more.

[Melissa Davie]

As soon as I saw this book - held up by Giuliana Furci at Kew Gardens State of the World's Plants and Fungi 2023 conference - I knew I had to read it. What an absolute fangirl.

I can't tell you how much underlining and vigorous nodding in agreement I did whilst reading it! I love the way Yasmine carefully threads together the words and perspectives of many prominent mycologists, artists, curators and fungi enthusiasts with her own. She blends science, art and traditional wisdom in a a perfect exemplification of the interconnectedness of mycorrhizal fungi. Emphasised with the inclusion of the beautiful mycological illustrations by Rommy Gon.

Yasmine articulates radical concepts in a way that is perfectly natural. All through an exploration of 12 questions, posed to the reader to encourage curiosity and questioning, just as fungi encourage. She weaves in descriptions of projects in a way that makes you sit on the edge of your seat in anticipation at how much you want to visit! And, she flavours everything with a peppering of languages, because some of these things just cannot be explained in English. So refreshing!

ahhhh something sparkly from the Mantiqueira 💚

[Jade]

So happy to have finished this book before going on vacation. Such an interesting read

[Mario Cal]

Un libro de estilo ameno aunque con un cierto aire académico, como de memoria de investigación cualitativa, que quizás limite su alcance a los ya convencidos. Promueve una relación más simbiótica con nuestro entorno, más colaborativa y más respetuosa con otras culturas y con el mundo natural, del que tanto podemos aprender si sabemos escuchar, observar, aceptar. Las científicas y artistas entrevistadas por la autora no son solo interesantes por sus profundos conocimientos sobre micología, sino también por su activismo y coherencia vital. Contiene además reflexiones muy inspiradoras sobre la importancia del lenguaje. Buena traducción, por cierto.

[Teun Bastiaans]

Op de valreep uit!

Op een mooie manier geschreven, en met prachtige connecties met veel verschillende vakgebieden: kunst, intl ontwikkeling, indigenous knowledge, etc.

[Julie Scholzová]

I will use some of this in my praxes:))

[Mira de Moor]

Heel interessant en vernieuwend. Wel veel informatie soms.

[David Val Campillo]

Las enseñanzas del micelio 🤘🫂 libro chuli para introducir a alguien a nuevas maneras de mirar

[Beverly]

This book is an inspiring introduction to mycelium through a lens of the arts, offering ways to think of ‘mycelium as methodology’. In its enthusiasm, though, it does at times read overly romantic/idealised, but it is generously filled with contemporary non-Eurocentric precedents for purposeful engagement with/-in ecologies.

[Marina Illaric]

This book is incredibly unique and paints a fantastic picture of mycological development in relation to cultural/artistic movements and groups, worldwide. This perspective makes every chapter feel new and exciting, and succeeds in never feeling too repetitive in its themes. It is an excellent reference book and opens the mind to new projects one could embark as an artist and consumer. It must be noted that a few LATAM entities cited in this book are fairly privileged, and thus some of the reflections about their surroundings may fall a little flat.

[Ravi]

why this book lost two stars for me:

-the links to fungi often felt like an afterthought. The author just used the mycelial network as a means to write about other forms of networks for a large percentage of the references.
-at one point, she calls antidepressants addictive (which is medically incorrect) and praises the use of magic mushrooms as a replacement.

[Ale Miranda]

Es un libro hermoso que nos habla de los vínculos entre los seres humanos, los organismos no humanos y el resto de la naturaleza.

A través de una serie de experiencias en diferentes residencias artísticas y académicas, entrevistas a mujeres que, de alguna manera, trabajan o se relacionan con el mundo funga e información biológica sobre algunos hongos, la autora propone una visión holística de la biodiversidad y su entorno, donde los humanos dejamos de ser el centro del ecosistema y nos convertimos en un nodo más de una gran red de especies, interaccionando con ellas y con nuestro hábitat desde un lugar de respeto, humildad y agradecimiento.

En un principio, creí que el libro sería de divulgación científica, pero no es así; realmente no hay un contexto biológico de los hongos, al menos no estructurado. Creo que es más bien un ensayo de reflexión sobre el lugar que ocupamos las personas en la Tierra, las acciones que, en la cotidianidad, estamos tomando para mejorar (o empeorar) nuestro planeta, los conocimientos ancestrales que debemos rescatar, e incluso se cuestiona la forma en que el lenguaje (relacionado con los hongos y la biodiversidad) nos predispone a “dar forma y comprender el mundo que nos rodea”.

La investigación está muy bien fundamentada; cuenta con el respaldo de científicas, artistas, activistas y otras mujeres relacionadas con los hongos. Cada capítulo nos ofrece una enseñanza que se conecta con las demás de manera horizontal (sin jerarquización), justamente como las hifas de un micelio.

Disfruté mucho el libro; me hizo reflexionar y querer investigar más sobre los hongos y leer varios de los libros citados en el texto. Definitivamente, una gran recomendación.

[Alex Colella]

Giving this a 2 star review for 2 reasons:
1. the content winds around all over the place, so organization is an insanely circuitous river. Making meaningful sense of each chapter and section is DIY, good luck.
2. *****THIS IS NOT A BOOK ABOUT FUNGUS.*****
I cannot repeat this enough. This book has absolutely NOTHING to do with fungus. Even some occasional mentions of it are so intensely tangential to the topic of the book I was kind of insulted she bothered to mention it. I am honestly upset by the name of this book and all the fungal body images, that truly are not at all what this book is about.

With that in mind.....I still enjoyed the read.

This book is about artistic, social, and environmental activism, as well as integration of disciplines (Culture, art, science, politics, etc) to support taking action to make positive change. I found the discussions interesting, art displays descriptions curious, promotion of art to local culture connection stirring, and her interest in bringing different disciplines in contact with each other in order to enable more activism and understanding valiant. It was an interesting read. Parts were inspiring. Some pieces of work described or social activism taken were truly impressive. The lack of organization and conclusively made it harder for me to have strong takeaways, but I did find myself inspired on many occasions reading it, and that is a really cool impact for a book to have.

I would have given 3 stars if the title and imagery were not so deceptive of the actual focus of the book.

[Ted Trembinski]

I came to Let's Become Fungal honestly not knowing much about fungi and I left feeling excited and interested in learning more and incorporating that wisdom into my life! Typically when I read non-fiction, even on subjects I am not super familiar with, I like to read academic writing for folks aimed at folks in the field being discussed. While Let's Become Fungal is written with a more general audience in mind, I found it delightful as it leaned so much on the work of so many fungal experts and enthusiasts as well as texts from both inside and outside of the fungal world. While the book is heavily centered around fungi, it is not an ontology of mushrooms or mycelium, but rather a group of intersecting meditations around how artists and non-artists can incorporate "fungal ideas" into their everyday lives and art practices. So many of these ideas resonated with me and I found that the more I learned about fungi, the more I was filling in gaps that seemed intuitive. I recommend this book to anyone interested in fungi, in expanding their art practices, and who often find themselves choosing a "secret third thing".

[Alex]

Really marvelous read. Picked it up from the library in part to it's fungal focus, but truly, the (literal) mycelium in focus is just the undergrowth. Rather, Osterndorf-Rodríguez's novel is an interwoven series of teachings, practices, and knowledge from artists, advocates, scientists, farmers, indigenous leaders, and more on addressing the world in a more collaborative and community-focused manner. The takeaways from these conversations are rich and incredibly insightful, particularly in their focus on how deeply intertwined the structures of environmentalism, politics, art, and oppression are - and the manners in which we must care for the earth and one another to overcome and relearn following systemic harm. All of this is framed over the blanket of fungal matter, and the way we must apply a sort of biomimicry to our societal habits: to lean on each other, to pursue knowledge, to become greater allies, and to embrace what exists between the binary. A book to re-read and read-the-references and to share with all who may learn.

[Candelo Lelo]

Al principio me causó conflicto que fuera una autora europea, viniendo a latam o el caribe para aprender de hongos, cosmogonías, etc... como cualquier blanco, la verdrag.

No deja de ser una persona privilegiada, juntando en un libro conocimiento de mujeres y personas cuir. Si no estás empapade del mundo funga, resulta interesante todos los proyectos nombrados, todas las referencias bibliográficas; si eres alguien mega clavadx pues creo que dirás: a mimir.

Me gustó que proponen nuevos usos de lenguaje (como reino funga), que cuestiona el pensamiento europeo/gringo con respecto al "progreso" y se documenta recio con respecto a movimientos sociales como el Ejército Zapatista de Liberacion Nacional <3

Lo mas wonito de todo el libro fue reconocer que lxs hongos están más allá de nuestro entendimiento, hemos querido gobernarles pero elles siempre se mantienen rebeldes, literal el verdadero quién fuera.

[Jules R]

As I keep telling friends and peers, "this is a book about everything I think about."
Fungus, arts, organizing, and cultivating a relationship with the natural world as not just a great and incredible teacher but also as a comrade, collaborator, accomplice...if these worlds and the way they merge are things that occupies your mind as much as they do mine, this is an absolute must read, re-read, and re-re-read. I had the fortune of getting to meet author Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez at not 1 but 2 amazing book programs in New York last week and the ethos of her text translates directly to how she engaged me and many other mycologically obsessed artists, scientists, amateur growers and foragers, and other enthusiasts. The mycelial network of people and beings and projects so lovingly engaged with in the text continues to build outward, I am touched and forever changed by it!

[Chenxiao]

I would suggest avoiding this book if you’re expecting to gain substantial knowledge about mycology. In my view, it contains relatively little practical or scientific information about fungi and instead focuses heavily on contemporary political and social themes.

I do appreciate the idea of using mycelium as a metaphor for connection and community, and I think that’s one of the book’s stronger concepts.

However, much of the content mixes topics such as LGBTQ+ issues, feminism, non-binary identity, anti-colonialism, and anti-capitalism. To me, it often feels like these ideas are loosely connected to mycology and used to imagine a rather idealistic and impractical utopia.

If you’re looking for a book that will deepen your understanding of fungi and mycology, you may find it disappointing. I personally found the strong focus on political and social commentary quite tiring.

[Mauricio Chades]

This is one of the great readings that fascinated me the most this year. Yasmine's book could be another publication addressing the miraculous tools fungi possess that might lead us out of climate and society collapse. however, as you read it, you will find a way more interesting discussion than the trendy one. Ostendorf-Rodríguez respectfully weaves an intricate narrative connecting communities and art collectives through places in South and Central America she has visited, insightfully seeing other ways of organization based on the adaptability, tenacity, and communal bonds of already existing groups (that may help us see how to be fungal!). This book sort of works as a conceptual trip journal in which the author (un)learns through the differences and extends a hand for us to join her – finding vitality in pluriversing.

[Marlene Willinger]

Dnf

The book was really interesting but I felt my interest drift lately. I really like the concept of it but the comparisons to fungi feels a bit too surface-level. I would have liked there to be a more base level discussion of fungi before discussing societal problems instead of discussing societal problems and then drawing links to fungi.

That being said I really commend the author for their stance on social issues as well as the effort to work particularly with women!
I think this is a great book and the parts that I did read gave me a lot of insight and have stayed with me since I‘ve read it!

[Janice Wright Cheney]

Mesmerizing! This book provides mycelium-inspired models for new ways of thinking and being, community and collaboration. Yasmine Ostendorf-Rodríguez's writing filled me with joy; I have not felt this hopeful and enthusiastic about anything for a long while. It's also a beautiful book to hold; the design is spectacular and the illustrations by Rommy González are gorgeous. Thank you, Yasmine, for sharing these inspiring stories and conversations. I'll be referring to this text frequently in my own teaching and studio practice. The future is fungal.

[Jeanne Boden]

Let's Become Fungal! is a must-read for anyone concerned with life, and who is prepared to see death as the beginning of new life. The book is life-changing. Many years ago 'Hidden life of trees' changed my view on trees. This book changed my view on mushrooms, fungi, bacteria, on sour dough, kombucha, kefir, on 'food' and 'dirt', but more than anything on human and non-human interactions. The illustrations in the book are also delicately beautiful.
A precious contribution to create awareness.

[Philip J]

I really Loved this book. I have been interested in mycelium for quite a while now, obsessed really. This book scratched my itch and then some. Mycologists and fungi enthusiasts and knowledge keepers are as misunderstood as Fungi itself. I have recommended this book to a dozen friends because it so beautifully investigates and explores and builds a relationship with such an under studied field with so many untold stories and under appreciated scientific, technical, social, and spiritual findings.

[Christina]

What this book bas solidified for me:

The collective is more important than the singular (the singular does not exist)

Connection is essential, as is listening to understand (especially when it comes to flora, fauna, and funga that don't speak human languages)

De-colonization will take time, humility, and reliance on our loved ones. Also, we will probably never understand the true reach of (neo)colonialism and imperialism, but we have a responsibility to educate ourselves

Learn to love the more-than-humans out there and use them as your guide