Mushrooms have always held a significant place in human culture. In parts of Eastern and Northern Europe, autumn mushroom picking is a cosy, community-fostering ritual passed between generations; in the Netherlands, where psilocybin truffles are legally regulated, research continues to explore their therapeutic potential when used in controlled settings. Even in countries like the UK, public curiosity around fungi has grown in recent years.
That renewed fascination is reflected in publishing, too. Books such as Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake have helped bring the intelligence and interconnectedness of fungal networks into mainstream conversation. As science uncovers more about their ecological and psychological significance, artists and photographers have also been turning their attention to the strange beauty of the mushroom world.
Here are four artists placing mushrooms at the centre of their creative practice.
Moritz Schmid @intothewoods_mushrooms
Moritz Schmid is a German photographer and mushroom coach whose Instagram celebrates fungi with meticulously arranged flatlays and forest scenes that highlight their diversity and delicate forms. What makes his work so compelling is the way it marries scientific curiosity and woodland reverence, turning each species into a quiet visual story drawn from his walks and foraging retreats.
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Alison Pollack @marin_mushrooms
California-based Alison Pollack specialises in macro photography of Myxomycetes and fungi, guided by the motto ‘The smaller they are, the more they fascinate me!’. Her work makes the often-overlooked world of mycology feel intimate and quietly luminous. The images are so richly detailed they seem almost painted, each one an argument for looking more closely at the beauty of our natural world.
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Kanako @mushroomzen
The artist Kanako has cultivated a creative account that highlights the funky, serene and psychedelic mushroom visuals. She sculpts and paints brightly coloured, shimmery mushroom pendants, often alongside adorable characters.
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Mushroom Root @mushroomroot
Mushroom Root’s feed makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a fairytale woodland cottage and been wrapped in a blanket. A self-taught ceramicist who has been at the wheel for over sixteen years, Hannah makes mugs, bowls and decorative pieces that add an enchanting aura to any space, with a frequently recurring mushroom motif. The kind of art you want to appreciate on a slow morning.
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