Bored Panda recently connected with Dasha Plesen, an artist known for creating mesmerizing art pieces with mold as their centerpiece. On her Instagram profile, the artist shares process videos as well as photos showcasing the final results of her work. Dasha's molds take on different forms, textures, and colors, serving as inspiration for her ongoing creations.

Initially, the artist preserves her samples by encapsulating them in resin. Later, the visual outcomes of these creations take on a new life, transforming into colorful prints on fabric, framed pieces of art, and stylish home decor.

We were extremely curious to find out how Plesen became interested in using mold as a medium in her artwork. She shared with us: “Firstly I am a big fan of science, lab aesthetics, surgical operations, genetic experiments, and cosmos, but as for this idea, it was 8 years ago when I was meditating on the first course at uni when we needed to think about our final major project exhibition concept and just accidentally got a vision of petri dishes and collecting samples! (Through the last chakra we can be connected to the big field of everything, like quantum ether, and you can have all answers, ideas, and everything from there).Also, I think it's because I was planning to run a medical course after school and my neurons gave me such thoughts, because of past experience and desires.”

Asked how the artist manages the growth and maintenance of mold in her work to achieve the desired effects, Dasha said: “It's mostly time, my super attention, daily checkups, and complete trust in nature plus my skill, interest, passion, love, and belief.”

We were wondering what types of mold Plesen works with and their unique characteristics. We found out: “I do not categorize them because I'm interested in their visual appearance, colors, the way they communicate, develop, disappear, so for me, it's a parallel to relations with people. I do not care about species aspects, like skin tone, race, weight, height, hair color, eye color - I'm interested in the full, I accept and I love, no matter what. Unique characteristics are the way they gently touch each other when they grow, how they transport the color inside the body, and how they develop in time. Also, the imagery is very new every time and it stimulates my dopamine system extremely hard. Also, an interesting moment is pareidolia, when I see faces, letters, manuscripts, and codes inside the petri dish. One day I want to make my own alphabet with decrypted symbols!

But, of course, when it comes to special projects where we need to cultivate only one type - I should know the name and morphology 100 percent.”

We also wanted to know how Dasha views the connection between art and science in her mold-based creations. She explained: “I see this as a super potential for both science and art because it's a field that is free from any borders. Science has tech equipment and facilities, art has freedom and culture. Make them dance together - new age matter for all creative and intellectual fields made! For me, it's like a golden section of creative interconnection, because it could be expanded to dozens of absolutely different plots and expand people's understanding, vision, and life!”

We also reached out to the Australian biologist and lab tech, Anita Marie Poupa, to learn more about molds. First, we asked the expert to explain the life cycle and growth patterns of molds. Here's what we discovered: "Molds belong to the kingdom of fungi and reproduce by releasing tiny spores into their surrounding environment, which can be dispersed via the wind, water, or by hitching a ride on animals.

There are many different species of mold, and they thrive in moist environments. When spores land on a suitably damp surface, they germinate, and the organism will grow a network of thin, thread-like structures called hyphae. If spores land in a dry area, they will remain inactive until they can absorb moisture. The hyphae grow immediately after germination, forming a mass called the mycelium, which extracts nutrients from the substrate. Finally, reproductive structures are formed, from which the spores are released."

We also inquired about the potential health risks associated with mold exposure. Anita explained: "We constantly breathe in airborne spores, and our immune systems are equipped to deal with this. However, exposure to high quantities of harmful mold species or individuals with allergies, sensitivities, compromised immunity, or respiratory issues such as asthma may face health problems. Black mold is the most commonly known type that affects households. Areas in the home prone to mold growth include places where condensation builds up, like windows, kitchens, and bathrooms, areas that have suffered from flooding or water damage, or places with poor airflow. Controlling moisture is crucial to keeping mold levels under control. Ensure all areas and items are regularly aired out and dried thoroughly to prevent ongoing humidity."

"Wipe away mold as soon as it appears using mold-killing products, and if you experience unexplained or worsening health issues, consult your doctor. Mold exposure can result in various symptoms, including allergy-like symptoms such as eye/skin/respiratory irritation, coughing, wheezing, and a runny nose, as well as other generalized symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, stomach issues, and muscle pain. The source of the mold in your building may not be visually obvious or easily accessible, so consider consulting mold experts in your area and having inspections conducted."

We also asked the Australian biologist about how molds contribute to the natural environment, including their roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. Here's what she told us: "Molds (and other fungi) play a crucial role in nature. They are capable of decomposing organic matter, such as fallen leaves and trees, which can be challenging due to the presence of hard-to-break-down cellulose in plants. They recycle nutrients and essential building blocks back into the soil and the environment, making them available for plants to use again. Imagine if fallen plant matter never broke down, or if the soil ran out of nutrients for plants."

Lastly, Anita added: "Modern medicine greatly benefits from some types of mold. For example, without molds from the Penicillium genus, we wouldn't have the highly effective antibiotic penicillin, which has saved millions of lives. Just like with animals and plants, the key with molds and other fungi is to be aware of which ones are potentially harmful without creating unnecessary fear or phobia towards all of them. Each has its place and role to play, but preferably not inside your home!"