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<\/a>Granley has a passion for the subjects dealt with in this exhibit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was drawn to this project because of my love for nature and my love of mushrooms, but also, I have a very strong interest in the convergence of science and art,\u201d says Granley, \u201cbecause I think they support each other, and I feel really honoured to have been part of a show like this where we are able to bring science and art together to interact with each other and sort of help people learn and boost people\u2019s interest in these topics.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Another theme explored in the exhibit, says Granley, is the relationship of mushrooms to popular culture, and how the public\u2019s view of mushrooms has changed.<\/p>\n \u201cWe also were interested in pop culture and how mushrooms have become such a popular thing in society,\u201d says Granley. \u201cThere are so many mushroom-themed decor, everyone seems to be really interested in mushrooms, and that sort of feels like it\u2019s following that Fantastic Fungi<\/i> documentary. And so, we wanted to explore pop culture and mushrooms, and how there\u2019s been a shift from mushrooms being perceived as this deadly thing, this thing that\u2019s associated with rot and decay and death to now we\u2019re perceiving mushrooms more as very interesting, very beneficial. They have a lot of health benefits if you pick the right ones. And so we are really thinking about that dichotomy between the deadly mushrooms and the ones that are associated with death versus all these mushrooms that are now being perceived with health.\u201d<\/p>\n The main thing that makes this exhibition stand out is a more fun-based approach to the topic of climate change, says Granley.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that climate action and climate change and resource extraction are really serious topics, and they can feel really scary,\u201d says Granley. \u201cWith our exhibition, we were trying to also curate a sense of whimsy and fun into the show. So, there are those heavy themes but we also have more fun and light-hearted pieces. For example, we have a set of these beautiful, scientifically accurate ceramic mushrooms that are fun to engage with, I think we have 99 of them. And then, in one piece, we have… a terrarium full of mushrooms that make music, and it is an interactive piece and so that one is really fun. I think that with this show we are trying to tackle serious topics, but we are also trying to create a sense of fun, and a sense of learning, and a sense of joy, because ecology is joyful.\u201d<\/p>\n Granley says that the audience can expect to learn a lot about mushrooms and their relationship to trees.<\/p>\n \u201cI think [the audience] can expect a lot of colour, a lot of different pieces,\u201d acknowledges Granley. \u201cThey should expect to learn about mushrooms and trees. Jaimie and I like to say that the trees are equally as important as the mushrooms. A lot of times people will focus on the mushrooms and not think that the trees are as important, but they are just as important as each other.\u201d<\/p>\n