From a wild Parasol Mushroom to bronze

I recently found this beautiful Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera) in the forests of Lower Saxony, Germany.

Parasol mushrooms are fascinating subjects for what I do. Their large caps, delicate gills and irregular natural shapes make every specimen unique. Even small imperfections — insect bites, damaged edges, folds and changes in texture — become part of the sculpture.

For my project Eternal Fungi, I preserve real wild mushrooms by casting them in solid bronze using a technique I call Lost Organics. The original mushroom is sacrificed during the process, but its form and all those little details remain in metal.

These are three screenshots of the finished bronze sculpture.

I also documented the complete process of this particular mushroom, from finding it in the forest to the finished casting, and recently put the whole process into a short video.

Eternal Fungi on YouTube

Nature designs – I make it everlasting. 🍄

Gotta cast ’em all. 😄

The kinetic Sculpture's "V" shape moves with the wind and rests within the Doehne Wildflower Meadow in the Frederick Meijer Sculpture Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan

By Nick Cave at the Frederick Meijer Sculpture Garden

Standing 42 feet tall at the Frederick Meijer Sculpture Garden.

By artist Keith Haring in the Frederick Meijer Sculpture Garden

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