From the Ground / Lost in Synthetic is an immersive short film exploring the interaction between ecology, culture, and capitalism. It uses Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) to tell a story of how things are torn from their lifeworlds and transformed into objects of exchange within the commercialisation logic of capitalism. Reishi mushrooms have transitioned from being ancient, mysterious, and elusive herbs to products that are mass-produced in agricultural greenhouses. They have been severed from the natural world and further evolved into various commodities traded within the supply chain.
In modern contexts, the project rewrites myths to evoke critical reflections on materials and species, emphasising the understanding that (bio)materials possess life and spirit and are integral to larger ecosystems, histories, cultures, and traditions.
