Brightly colored bags that might disgust most people due to their main component—mold—are gaining popularity on social media. Kursiv LifeStyle explains why designers are using fungus in accessories and what art has to do with it, reports infohub.kz.
The concept of bags featuring mold as a key decoration was published by designer Arevik Akopyan. In the images, the accessories are adorned with living fungal cultures that seem to grow through the material, forming vibrant patterns.
According to the author, the idea was inspired by the possibility of growing living fungal cultures on a plant-based medium. Akopyan clarified that the project is not an official collaboration with the brand Coperni. However, this does not make the accessories any less visually captivating. The designer drew inspiration from the works of artist Henri Matisse and blogger Dasha Plesen.
The iconic Swipe Bag model served as the base. In recent years, it has gone viral multiple times thanks to the brand's unusual experiments. Previously, Coperni released a glass version of the bag, and then introduced the Air Swipe Bag made of aerogel—a material that is 99% air.
Like the brand's past experiments, the mold idea has resonated widely on social media. In the comments on viral posts about the bag, one often encounters the question, "It's disgusting, where can I buy it?"
How mold is turned into art
Dasha Plesen is one of the notable artists in her technique. Instead of paints, she uses self-grown mold fungi and other biomaterials, turning them into full-fledged artworks.
To create her paintings, the artist grows fungal cultures on special nutrient media. Over time, Petri dishes become full-fledged canvases. The mold grows independently and continues to change over time.
Plesen's works have appeared at international contemporary art exhibitions and have repeatedly gone viral on social media.