An exhibition exploring the cultural and biological significance of fungi is set to open at the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM) in Exeter, Devon. Titled Living Labyrinths, the contemporary art show features a variety of installations that highlight the often-overlooked role fungi play in ecosystems, art, and human culture. The exhibition runs from October 3, 2026, through February 21, 2027.
Curated by Lara Goodband, contemporary art curator at RAMM, the project has been five years in development. Goodband cited the south-west of England as an ideal location for the exhibition due to its climate, which favors fungal growth, and the local community’s strong connection to fungi. She noted that interest in fungi ranges from ecologists studying their environmental impact to cultural enthusiasts drawn to their historical and folkloric associations, as well as those appreciating the psychoactive aspects of some species.
Living Labyrinths showcases both historical and contemporary perspectives on fungi. RAMM’s Victorian fungal collections, including specimens such as stinkhorn and bird’s nest fungi, complement modern artworks that reinterpret fungal life. Among the featured pieces is a sound installation by Jason Singh, a musician, composer, and DJ, who collaborated with fungi in two Devon woods, Fringle and Yarner, to create The Intelligence Below. Singh employed biofeedback sensors to measure electrical voltages generated by living mycelium networks and translated these signals into a dynamic soundscape. He described the process as an attempt to connect with the vibrations and energies of living organisms, producing music directly generated by fungal systems.
The exhibition also highlights the scientific contributions of Beatrix Potter, widely known for her children’s stories but less recognized as a pioneering mycologist. Watercolor studies of fungi by Potter, loaned from the Victoria and Albert Museum, are displayed alongside recent works such as Jo Pearl’s In Balance, inspired by a newly identified fungus named Potteromyces asteroxylicola in honor of Potter. This fungus was named in 2023 following research at the Natural History Museum.
Another notable contemporary piece is Myco-Mother, 2026, by Gemma Anderson-Tempini. Working with scientists at the University of Exeter’s MRC Centre for Medical Mycology, Anderson-Tempini created a map of her personal mycobiome—the collection of fungi residing within the human body—a subject rarely visualized artistically. She combined natural materials from the Devon landscape, including red sandstone from Exmouth and soil from Killerton, to produce the watercolors supporting her work. Anderson-Tempini described her project as unique, emphasizing that while fungi have gained popularity in environmental contexts, her art focuses on the fungal ecology inside the human body.
Living Labyrinths aims to foster a deeper appreciation of fungi through an interdisciplinary approach that combines art, science, and history, reflecting the growing public fascination with these organisms. The exhibition underscores fungi’s ecological importance and cultural resonance in the region and beyond.