"Dear fungus,
I am the daughter of people who crossed the sea to give me a better life. I am a sister who has learned to part and share. I am a mother of children whom I care for. I am a lover who tries not to let go in the overwhelming exhaustion. I am a friend who is too far gone. I am an artist trying to survive. One day I will sink into the earth and follow your web of mycelia or fly with spores in the wind.
But let me learn from you already: how can we build a network of care that is sustainable and without a fixed order, without a centre? A network that knows about our interdependence but does not exploit it? Which puts the ecosystems of life with its countless existences at the centre?
Let us be part of your knowledge, guide us, through your body and your movement."
Care is inherent in life and extends far beyond the human social fabric, forming the basis of a resilient ecosystem. To explore the workings of care, Simone Truong's project Fungi Care seeks to learn from fungus, which plays a unique role in the more-than-human community.
Fungus does not have a central brain and grows in different directions at the same time. In symbiosis with plants, it distributes food, conveys information and can thus be understood as "caretaker" of ecosystems. Fungi Care takes place in the Gemeinschaftsgarten Grünhölzli Altstetten, in the fading evening light. It gets darker and the participators hear all the more clearly the sounds of life in the underground, which are amplified by special microphones and accompany the performance auditorily.
Together with her collaborators Mariana Grünig, Marcus Maeder, Linda Zobrist and guests, Simone Truong seeks in this choreography to connect physically and conceptually with a community that encompasses more than just us humans. She wants to learn from fungus what healthy, balanced care means.
Beyond the performance, the audience is invited to engage with the theme of care in the more-than-human community: On 22 October 2023, a full-day workshop invites the audience to immerse themselfs in the world of fungi and to explore the forest as a group; through the practice of forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku), a forest walk with a fungi expert and a meal afterwards.
Fungi Care takes place in the Grünhölzli community garden, on a large meadow at the edge of the forest in the fading evening light. We recommend to allow enough time for the journey. The performance will take place in all weather conditions except during thunderstorms.
"Dear fungus,
I am the daughter of people who crossed the sea to give me a better life. I am a sister who has learned to part and share. I am a mother of children whom I care for. I am a lover who tries not to let go in the overwhelming exhaustion. I am a friend who is too far gone. I am an artist trying to survive. One day I will sink into the earth and follow your web of mycelia or fly with spores in the wind.
But let me learn from you already: how can we build a network of care that is sustainable and without a fixed order, without a centre? A network that knows about our interdependence but does not exploit it? Which puts the ecosystems of life with its countless existences at the centre?
Let us be part of your knowledge, guide us, through your body and your movement."
Care is inherent in life and extends far beyond the human social fabric, forming the basis of a resilient ecosystem. To explore the workings of care, Simone Truong's project Fungi Care seeks to learn from fungus, which plays a unique role in the more-than-human community.
Fungus does not have a central brain and grows in different directions at the same time. In symbiosis with plants, it distributes food, conveys information and can thus be understood as "caretaker" of ecosystems. Fungi Care takes place in the Gemeinschaftsgarten Grünhölzli Altstetten, in the fading evening light. It gets darker and the participators hear all the more clearly the sounds of life in the underground, which are amplified by special microphones and accompany the performance auditorily.
Together with her collaborators Mariana Grünig, Marcus Maeder, Linda Zobrist and guests, Simone Truong seeks in this choreography to connect physically and conceptually with a community that encompasses more than just us humans. She wants to learn from fungus what healthy, balanced care means.
Beyond the performance, the audience is invited to engage with the theme of care in the more-than-human community: On 22 October 2023, a full-day workshop invites the audience to immerse themselfs in the world of fungi and to explore the forest as a group; through the practice of forest bathing (Shinrin-Yoku), a forest walk with a fungi expert and a meal afterwards.
Fungi Care takes place in the Grünhölzli community garden, on a large meadow at the edge of the forest in the fading evening light. We recommend to allow enough time for the journey. The performance will take place in all weather conditions except during thunderstorms.
| Artistic Direction | Simone Truong |
| Choreography and | |
| Performance | Simone Truong |
| Dramaturgy | Catalina Insignares |
| Musical Direction | Martina Buzzi |
| Project management and | |
| conceptual coworker | Linda Zobrist |
| Produced by | Verein Overseas |
| Costume | Mariana Grünig |
| Outside Eye | Anna Massoni |
| Photography | Flurin Bertschinger |
| Caretaker Workshop | Rebecca Beffa |
| … |
| Coproduction | Gessnerallee Zürich |
| Supported by | Tanzkommision Stadt Zürich, Kanton Zürich, Lotteriefonds Kanton Solothurn |
| Partner | Verein Grünhölzli |
