Lunatic Utopia

LUNATIC UTOPIA
Cured by the Moon

Our culture is sick because we have lost our sense of belonging and connection. To address this, we must create new spaces for existence where individuals can find meaning and connection despite feeling lost. Lunatic Utopia is one such imagined space that utilizes fungi to help us reimagine our cultural horizons and discover new ways of understanding the world.

FUNGI BASE in the Moon
A COLONY for Utopians

Illustration, 85 cm x 112 cm, and animation Lunatic Utopia

Fungi Base in the Moon
Mycelium and lava sculpture
130 cm x 90 cm x 60 cm

50 collages / posters B&W A3

Art installation in the Moon
The art project “Lunatic Utopia: Cured by the Moon” is being developed and supervised at the Arts Academy of Latvia.

“Lunatic Utopia: Cured by the Moon,” explores the potential of using fungi as a tool for improving mental health and overall well-being. The project is based on the idea of creating a colony for utopians on the moon, where the low gravity and relative proximity to Earth would facilitate the supply and exchange of resources. I am also using AI to generate concept images for the project to help me visualize the concepts and ideas that I am exploring. The project also envisions utilizing the lunar environment, such as the ice found in craters near the poles, to sustain human life and myco-architecture, which is the use of fungal mycelium to build structures that are stronger than reinforced concrete and can repair themselves. Additionally, the project explores the potential of mycoremediation, the use of fungi to decontaminate the environment, as a means of improving the resilience of humans, societies, and environments. As part of my research, I have an open conversation with Chat OpenAI, discussing various aspects of the project and raising questions to gather more information, which will inform the development of my artwork.

UTOPIA
An imagined place or state of things in which everything is perfect.

LUNATIC
From the 16th century, the Moon also served to explain changes in mood, as well as certain forms of madness that occurred at intervals, connected to the lunar phases.

CURED BY THE MOON
The project aims to create a space where we can re-evaluate our relationship with madness and harness its potential, in response to the failure of traditional therapeutic methods. By cultivating fungi, we hope to improve the resilience of individuals, communities, and the environment.

© Copyright - Lidia de Pedro