Luda Lbov
Bone Material
An exhibit of sections of homegrown kombucha tea mushroom, or bacterial cellulose, that examines the connection with textile material, and the context of its cultivation in Russian family culture.
At the heart of the project is a personal interest in unique materials for textile design. Cultivation of the kombucha tea mushroom (bacterial cellulose) in my grandmother’s kitchen in Siberia, was used to strengthen the immune system. The research resonates with the shaman tradition of living in tune with nature as a resource for physical and spiritual existence. Using various manipulations at the cultivation and drying stages, such as the size of the container, reaction with iron and knitted fabric, dying and staining, the appearance of the raw mushroom was accentuated, and the result produced a befitting symbolism in the material-- born in a unique and harsh living environment.