blogwithvalor

In the downtown art gallery hung an obscure piece. It’s frame was filled from top to bottom with mushrooms and other fungi. The artist, Amanita Virosa, said it was an unfinished work because it would constantly be growing. She was a mycologist that had recently begun putting together pieces like this. Most of her work consisted of sculptures that were covered in fungi, but she had recently begun putting together canvases with fungi of different colors that made interesting patterns. It had become an instant hit that collectors from around the country flocked to see. Amanita hadn’t sold any of her work and consistently told people she felt that each piece was like a child that she didn’t want to hand over to a stranger.

One evening after all the guests had left a very extravagant gallery showing, Amanita was confronted by the gallery owner, Owen.

“You’ve got to let me start selling these pieces. People are offering good money for your work. It’s crazy to me that you won’t sell.”

Amanita sipped a dry martini, while staring at her most recent piece that was prominently displayed on the wall.

“I pay you to display these. Is that not enough for you?”

“But we could make so much together. Your work and my connections. I know a lot of well-to-do collectors that would pay a pretty penny for what you create.”

“Would they be able to maintain the fungi and let it grow? Or would they slowly watch it die in their living room? Completely ignorant to the life they are destroying.”

“What does it matter? It’s just a bunch of mushrooms.”

Amanita’s left eye twitched and she glared at Owen. He raised his hands up, yielding to her look.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry. Have it your way, but I’m going to need to swap out art by the end of the month. So you’ll need to prepare whatever space you have for these by then.”

Owen walked away shaking his head.

Amanita finished her martini in a single gulp and took a mushroom off the artwork. She walked up quickly behind Owen, her heels knocking loudly against the concrete floor. As he turned around, she squeezed the mushroom and released a black puff of spores into his face. Owen froze in place. His eye pointing directly at Amanita.

“The thing about my art that no one realizes, is that these are living things that need to be cared for… fed.”

She began walking around Owen.

“Some people say my art gives them a sense of foreboding. They almost fear it. And I want to tell them, they should.”

Amanita took the mushroom that she used on Owen and stuffed it into his pocket.

“Did you know that spores of some mushrooms can paralyze people? Your body seizes up and you become immobile for days. On a semi-related note, there are fungi that can grow on nothing but human flesh and blood. Coincidentally, it only takes a couple of days for these mushrooms to take root, given the right conditions.”

Owen watched helplessly as Amanita took fungi from different art pieces around the gallery and placed them on him.

“Don’t worry Owen. No matter how much they offer for this next art piece, I’ll never let you go.”