Mycelium Running 2019

Editor: Here we have Zahrah Al-Ghamdi’s “Mycelium Running” from 2019. It's a mixed-media assemblage that just explodes across the wall and floor. It gives me a feeling of both organic growth and, strangely, decay. What's your perspective on this piece? Curator: Well, given its title, let's consider mycelium, the vegetative part of a fungus. What we see here isn't just about organic growth, as you mentioned, but about networks, connections. It’s Al-Ghamdi’s commentary on systems and relationships, not just in nature, but possibly societal as well, explored through her careful material choices and labor-intensive assembly process. Think about the implications of using readily available, possibly discarded, materials in this way. Editor: So the use of mixed media speaks to a broader point about readily available resources and our consumption habits? Curator: Exactly! Consider the implications. The process is repetitive and highlights the labor of creation. It's not just the finished product, but the "how" and "why" of its making that are crucial. It is almost like an archaeological site - she excavates something from her environment. Editor: It almost blurs the line between studio art and… fieldwork? Like a construction site in reverse. Curator: Precisely. Al-Ghamdi challenges our understanding of art’s relationship to everyday materials and labor. It prompts us to reconsider where value lies. Editor: I never would have looked at it that way! I was focused on the visual impact. Curator: Visuals are important, but thinking about the production process allows us to really question her message and engage in the world around us. Editor: Right, thanks, I am glad I can appreciate how layers of meaning in ‘Mycelium Running’ become revealed when you consider the making of the art itself, not just how it looks!