Sam Shoemaker
Diogenes’ Coin
Pycnoporus sanguineus mycelium, hemp, synthetic textiles, ceramic braces. 2024


In the words of the artist, “There’s no wrong way to pronounce the mushroom species Pycnoporus sanguineus. The traffic cone orange colorant is naturally occurring in this fungus. I’ve stained more than one white shirt working with this species, which leaves this powdery orange residue on your fingers like cheetoh dust.

Just under the skin of “Diogenes’ Coin” is this “tasteful textile collage” I made that’s now fully concealed by mycelial growth. I’m not sure if I have a photo of the collage I composed before the P. sanguineus was propagated on top. It’s just gone! I imagined the fungus and I weaving together our work on the visual plane in equal parts. Lesson learned! Actually, I’m not entirely sure. There might not be a lesson! Mushrooms are very interesting to me.”

@mycomycofarm