UCSD Final Major Exhibition
End of year exhibition to complete my FdA Contemporary Arts Practice at University Center South Devon, Paignton. June 2025.​
​​
This show was an extension of an external exhibition at Artizan Gallery.
​
Shiv had great success with living elements that grew throughout the previous show, and she now had a collection of artworks in the next stage of their evolution to display.
​​
This show included a performance piece, where the artist unbagged and unwrapped one of her pieces 'Wrapped and Bound' so that the audience could experience the sensory factors in her work. This was predictably met with a mix of wonder and disgust, but above all sparked many conversations and interactions about the unknown world of fungi and the vastly understood mycelium, and the ways in which it can impact our everyday lives for the better.
Join the Myco Revolution, Metamorphosis. 2025
​
Digital, Time-lapse Videos.
Symbiosis 2.0, 2025
Wood, Perspex, Mycelium, Wood Chips, Towel, Sawdust, Denim, Coffee Grounds.
The primary lesson that fungi teach is that all life is interconnected, and as the world's grand connectors, decomposers, and resource distributors, mycelial networks demonstrate the universal principle of mutual aid. By seeing the world through the lens of symbiosis, we can find new ways to positively interact with the environment, agriculture, and each other, by improving soil health and decomposing waste matter.
​
As this exhibition took place during Pride Month, Shiv chose to honour her queer identity and her position as an LGBTQ+ ally by creating a colourful rainbow version of her previous piece. It is becoming increasingly important to promote connection and support in a world that is becoming increasingly divided.
Metamorphosis, 2025
Woodchips, Coffee Grounds, Mycelium. Cast in Plastic Mold.
Fungi are alchemists, transforming matter from one state to another. Shiv challenges us to reflect on ourselves as catalysts for change.
​
At this final stage of the piece's evolution, Shiv removes the plastic cocoon that supported the metamorphosis from woodchip to fungi.
​
​
​Top Left: Maitake Mycelium
Top Right: Blue Oyster Mycelium
Bottom Left: Blue Oyster Mycelium
Bottom Right: Shiitake Mycelium
Wrapped and Bound, 2025
Canvas, String, Polythene, Breathable Fabric.
The act of wrapping and binding is enshrined in human history and tradition. By exploring this large scale sculpture, a space is offered for reflecting our place in a world which is increasingly disconnected from the processes involved in craft, care and preservation which tie us to our traditions and ancestors.
​
​
By unwrapping the piece, Shiv allowed for a second interaction, removing the perceived sense of safety the plastic offered as a barrier. She encouraged the audience to experience the canvas as a sensory exploration through physical interaction, including sight, touch and smell.
This exhibition allowed the audience to discover a new experience of fungi, separate from the extremely small scope of mushrooms they may have bought in a supermarket.
Using natural, organic processes and materials solidifies the ephemeral nature of the work, while showing the possibilities fungi have as decomposers and highlighting the ease in which these could be used in new and exciting ways.
​
By allowing physical interaction with the pieces Shiv allowed for wonder, curiosity and exploration for the often unknown physical mycelium body of fungi, rather than focusing on the mushroom fruit.
​
​
