Join MoMI, the New York Mycological Society, and more special guests on Mother’s Day weekend to celebrate Mother Earth and observe the third kingdom of life: fungi.
The New York Mycological Society (NYMS), a volunteer-run organization founded by experimental composer John Cage in 1962, will lead a walk around MoMI’s neighborhood exploring the mushrooms, lichen, and mycelium in our everyday landscape that we may not have noticed. Everyone with an interest in the living environment, regardless of their level of knowledge of fungi, is invited. Space is limited, RSVP for the mycological walk.
Next, visual artist Caro Arévalo will help visitors document their finds with botanical illustrations. All skill levels are welcome, and drawing supplies will be provided.
Then, software engineer and community biologist Sally Kong gives a presentation on fungal microscopy—the beautiful world of mushroom’s interior structures and microscopic elements. RSVP for the microscopy talk.
MoMI then presents the not-to-be-missed New York City premiere of Fungi: Web of Life featuring noted mycologist Merlin Sheldrake and narrated by Björk. Space is limited, RSVP for the screening.
Schedule of activities:
12:00 p.m.: Meet for the mycological walk in the MoMI Lobby
12:30–1:30 p.m.: NYMS neighborhood mycological walk from MoMI
1:30-2:30 p.m.: NYMS ID session
2:30-3:15 p.m.: Fungi: Web of Life screening
3:00-4:30 p.m.: Guided mushroom drawing with botanical illustrator Caro Arévalo (drop-in)
3:30-4:30 p.m.: Fungal Microscopy demo with scientist-artist Sally Kong
Special guests:
Caro Arévalo is a Peruvian visual artist whose artwork explores the plant and fungi kingdoms, via the naked eye and microscopes. From her Amazonian heritage, Caro embraces the interconnectedness of all beings, the significance of rituals and ancestral wisdom in deepening our connection with nature, inviting us to cultivate more love towards ourselves and our planet. @caro.arevalo
Victoria Bayevskiy is a naturalist, amateur mycologist, and walk leader at NYMS. Growing up mushroom hunting with her grandmother instilled in her a lifelong love of fungi. With a background in psychology and ecology, she is passionate about urban green space access and helping more people connect with nature. She is particularly interested in mycorrhizal connections and the ecological relationships fungi foster.
Maya Han is the Cultural Coordinator for NYMS and the founder of the Myco Film Festival. She has an extensive engagement with NYC’s art, film, literary, music, and BIPOC communities. As a mycophile, artist, filmmaker, and writer, she is passionate about excavating hidden histories, alternative world making, and community building.
Sally Kong is a software engineer, artist, and a community biologist. She has built artist tools and 3D production pipelines for feature animation and games at Blue Sky Studios, Netflix, and Rockstar Games. A member of NYMS, she has led fungal DNA and microscopy workshops. She is currently the lead of the Microbial Reef community project, exploring the impact of oyster reefs on microbial communities and the biogeochemical cycling in our local waterways. She holds a BSE in Digital Media Design and a MSE in Robotics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Wilton Rao is an engineer, naturalist, and walk leader at NYMS. As an amateur mycologist, he specializes in the diversity of urban lichens. Passionate about urbanism, ecology, and their intersection, he spends his time documenting the wildlife of NYC in every park, lawn, and train platform he explores.
Misha Zitser is a naturalist and walk leader at NYMS. He has spent the last five years observing and documenting the flora, fauna and fungi of NYC. He is a prolific contributor to several iNaturalist projects, including “New York City EcoFlora” and “Fungi of NYC”, a project that was created by NYMS to document the fungal diversity of New York City.