Led by participating artist Natalia Szalc, the women of the Fungi Nipple Collective brought their orange glow to our slice of desert last Sunday. Complete with dance, soundscapes, poems, films and food and drinks all of which celebrated the connection of women and mycelium. The Fungi Nipple installation is comprised of hundreds of handmade clay forms that seem to be sprouting up in the arroyo. Here’s a few scenes from this pop-up event…
About the project: What do mushrooms and women have in common? They both play a significant role in the creation of life on Earth: populating, nourishing, cultivating, and communicating. Similar to the mycelium network, women serve as facilitators of communication and builders of connections. They pass down valuable knowledge through generations and share supportive information that uplifts one another. The Fungi Nipple ceramic installation is a collaborative effort between myself and a group of women who create these pieces together to form a swarm of Fungi Nipples. The number of pieces reflects the vital role that women play in our world as creators of life and growth. A woman embodies Mother Nature herself, with a sacred connection to the earth and clay. By honoring and respecting the womb, we honor and respect the feminine – embracing the deep, mysterious realms of inner wisdom, feminine power, intuition, and living in harmony with the cycles of birth, growth, decay, death. and rebirth. This installation aims to recognize women as the creators of life and their profound connection to Mother Nature. What better way to establish this connection than through a simple acknowledgment? Acknowledgment can serve as a potent tool for building trust, shifting attitudes, and fostering collaboration. This installation is designed to spark conversations about the power and practice of acknowledgment, aligning ourselves with the essence of Mother Nature. – Natalia Szalc
photo credits: Fungi Nipple Collective members
