MCEL
A comprehensive toolkit that combines biology, digital technology, and physical equipment to facilitate mushroom extraction and cultivation. This project aims to provide individuals with the means to grow and maintain a variety of valuable mushrooms, which have a wide range of applications in different environments and use cases. The idea stems from the possibility of a portable, living bioreactor that enables fungal life and the “end of the world” scenario.
Presented at Waag Futurelabs (2023) and Teylers museum (2024)
Zines
As part of the MCEL project, I created four zines blending art, science, and speculative fiction. They document curated fungi profiles, DIY lab protocols, speculative narratives, and the design process behind MCEL’s tools. Together, they explore fungi-inspired futures through research, design, and storytelling.
AI mycological assistant
This standalone AI interface serves as a mycological survival guide within the speculative design world of the MCEL Toolkit. Fully aware of the kit’s biological, digital, and mechanical components, the AI operates as a responsive, context-aware assistant. It offers adaptive strategies for fungal cultivation and resource management, grounded in the fictional narrative of planetary survival. By staying within its designed fictional universe, the AI encourages creative problem-solving while blurring the boundaries between speculative technology, ecology, and survival-driven design fiction.
Mycelial Speaker –
A Living Sound Experiment
This functional sound concept transforms a mycelial panel into an organic speaker by inducing uniformly distributed vibrations. Sound emerges directly from the living mycelium, allowing the listener to experience its resonant frequencies in real-time. The collaborative species Pleurotus ostreatus, cultivated on a recycled cardboard substrate, becomes both a biological material and a sound-producing interface, merging biofabrication with acoustic design. This project explores interspecies collaboration through sonic art, highlighting fungi’s potential as a medium for sensory and ecological storytelling.
Bio process centrifuge
Open source centrifuge designed for use in biolab. It allows for easy changing of protocols and modifying physical and interactive functionalities that are needed in non-scientific lab work wich makes it more accesible to amateur scientists and artist to work in the field of bio-technology. Next to the centrifuge there is also documentation for a induction steriliser and stirr-plate available open source.
Replica The Book of Etl
For Maro Pebo’s art project, I produced the components for a centerpiece table and accompanying accessories inspired by The Book of Etl, which immerses the viewer in a symmetrical narrative of the alchemical quest. The table, crafted from beech wood using CNC machining, serves as a functional and artistic base. The accessories, 3D printed and meticulously finished, enhance the overall concept of the piece. My role focused on the production of these elements, contributing to Maro’s vision while incorporating modern fabrication techniques into the artistic process.
Golden Koji
In collaboration with Maro Pebo, I produced a striking model of a golden enzyme, inspired by the esteemed Koji fungus. This enzyme serves as a symbolic bridge, connecting us to an ancient source of proteins found in beans. The model was generated from an accurate scientific representation of the enzyme, 3D printed, and finished in a rich gold to enhance its visual impact. This piece merges science with art, embodying both the biological significance of Koji and the aesthetic vision of Pebo’s project.
Pensieve
Pensieve is an interactive meditation bowl that fosters mindfulness through sensory engagement. It explores meditation beyond traditional methods by integrating vision and scent. The bowl detects stress levels via fingertip sensors, triggering dynamic displays of light, color, and fragrance designed to promote relaxation and emotional balance.
Pensieve electronics
This bespoke PCB was designed to power and control the interactive components of Pensieve. Programmed through Arduino, the board manages a complex system of LED lighting, an interactive display, scent diffusion modules, and a Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) sensor for real-time biofeedback.
Crafted specifically for artistic and sensory applications, the board integrates seamlessly with custom-built hardware, enabling responsive, multi-sensory experiences that merge technology with human emotion.
Foam church VDGH
A stress-relief object designed for a charity event. Inspired by stress balls, it combines soft, squeezable foam with symbolic design elements, offering a tactile experience that encourages relaxation and mindfulness through touch.
[IN PROGRESS] Modified microscope
Currently I am working on modifying an open-source Flexure Microscope for artistic exploration. So far, this tool remotely captures and stitches arrays of microscopic images, creating dynamic visual narratives. To make the medium more accessible, I added a display screen that shows real-time results and an interactive button within a vitrine, inviting students to engage directly with microscopy as an artistic practice.
Community
In November 2024, I founded the Myco Art Collective, a community of students, teachers, researchers, artists, and designers united by a shared platform for exploring the creative potential of mycology. The collective fosters knowledge exchange and collaborative projects, using fungi as a medium in art, design, and interdisciplinary research.