Mold growing on a rutabagaAFTERLIFE, HEIKKI LEIS
Those “science experiments” of thick fungus growing on coffee left for weeks on the desk, or sandwiches kept too long in the fridge are Estonian artist Heikki Leis's moldy muses. Afterlife is an exhibit of photographs taken of food Leis carefully let rot in his studio. It was on display last year at the AHHAA Science Centre in Estonia.
Wired Science blog invited mycologist Kathie Hodge of Cornell University to comment on the photos and try to spot the fungal species. “Most of the blue-grey molds are species of penicillium,” she told Wired, referring to photos that featured vegetables with splotches of the fuzzy blue species. “It seems that the artist may have a penicillium issue in his studio.” She picked out another familiar character ...
