Phaidon0s next deep dive lands squarely in the world of mycology. Arriving on October 15, Fungi: The World of Mushrooms assembles more than 200 photographs, artworks, and historical objects across more than 200 pages, charting imagery from ancient history through to the present. Conceived as a celebration of the vast diversity and creative potential of mycology, the volume follows earlier Phaidon surveys devoted to butterflies, birds, oceans, and trees.
From antiquity to contemporary experiments
The book spotlights a wide array of creators and contexts. Among those named are Riitta Ikonen and Anni Koponen, whose costumes are photographed on location; Hilma af Klint, represented by finely detailed mushroom illustrations; and Carsten H f6ller, known here for an installation of suspended toadstools. Together, these selections underscore the breadth of fungi0s cultural presence across time and media.
Images shared in connection with the release sketch the range the book engages:
- Carsten H f6ller, 0Upside Down Mushroom Room2 (2000), dimensions variable.
- Riitta Ikonen and Anni Koponen, 0Chanterelle2 (2009), 2999 19 2999 inches.
- FoldHaus Collective, 0Shrumen Lumen2 (2016), aluminum, steel, polypropylene, interactive electronics, 11 to 17 19 9 to 12 feet.
- Mushroom stone (4000250 BCE), stone, 13 1/8 19 7 1/2 19 6 3/4 inches. Photo courtesy of Museum Rietberg Z fcrich, Rainer Wolfsberger.
- Chris Ritson, 0Mushroom Picture2 (2022), live fungus and sawdust, 20 19 14 inches.
- Hilma af Klint, probably Agaricus bisporus (cultivated mushroom) (1893), watercolor, gouache, pencil, and ink on paper, 16 3/8 19 12 inches. Photo courtesy of Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet, Stockholm.
Presented across several millennia and myriad materials0from stone and paper to live mycelial matter and interactive electronicsthe project gathers a breadth of imagery devoted to fungi0s forms and fascinations. Fungi: The World of Mushrooms is slated for release on October 15.
