MYCORRHIZA – from the Greek – mykós meaning fungus and riza meaning root – a fungus which grows in association with the roots of a plant in a symbiotic relationship. MYCORRHIZIA – the world of Mycorrhiza
In the words of ecologist Suzanne Simard:
“The relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and the plants they connect is now known to be ancient (around 450 million years old) and it is largely one of mutualism in which both organisms benefit from their association. A vibrant network of microscopic threads is recycling air, soil, and water in a continuous cycle of balance and replenishment. These networks are the foundation of life. They create the soils that nourish all life on land. Without fungi, we do not have soil. Without soil, there is no life. Without this metamorphic process, the planet would choke. Survival depends not on the fittest, but on the collective.”
‘Mycorrhizia’ is a story of deep-rooted connection developed as part of a special collaboration between Visual Projection Artist, Craig Walsh and Musical Director, Linsey Pollak, Commissioned by the Woodford Folk Festival.
Take a journey into the wonder of the ‘Wood Wide Web’ and what lies below the surface. A place where trees quietly talk to one another underground, with each whisper passing information and resources through a secret network of mycorrhizal fungi.
The wonderful projections created by Craig Walsh and Steven Thomasson have been specially mapped onto the Woodfordia Pond and surrounds using 3 projectors to create the magical projected Mycorrhizal landscape. The 5 musicians are embedded in that landscape and wear costumes created by extraordinary costume designer/maker Kirsten Fletcher. Kirsten lived onsite for 5 weeks making these costumes from vines, grasses and remnants of hessian Festival fencing from Woodfordia.
The 32 minute soundtrack also includes other aspects of Woodfordia with sound samples collected by Linsey from under the Pond, under the soil and from the trees themselves and played by percussionist Leon Tussie along with the glorious voices of Lizzie O’Keefe and Nadia Sunde and wind instruments played by Linsey and Ric Halstead.
This project was funded by the Federal Government Rise Fund.
