Arts Thread

The aim of this project is to explore the fascinating interaction of the Mycorrhizal Network. Connecting trees to plants, to fungi and other tiny organisms, this network is essential to all living things on earth. This publication explores the above and below ground elements of the network, examples of plant species found within a Mycorrhizal Network, as well as looking into the required conservation and restoration of this network. Two typefaces were used in this publication; Big Caslon CC and Univers. Caslon was primarily used in the context of display type and accent type sections. Chosen due to its organic yet organised feel, it mimics the intricacy of the network, yet doesn’t undermine how important the network is. Univers was used for the main body text, sub-heads and other page structural elements. It compliments the serif Caslon, due to the anatomy of the letters being similar both in a large and small point size, providing a neutral yet timeless feel. Throughout the publication, this incredible network is described as ‘tiny threads’, ‘intricate’, ‘delicate’. I wanted to explore a visual style which mimics this not only through the typographic element to the piece, but also through the visual style applied to the images. By free machine embroidering over the top of photographs of plant species found within the network, it demonstrates all the lines which connect one specie to another. The tactile element of the threads demonstrates that us, as human beings, are still involved in the network; in how we conserve and protect this system. All human life is lived on top of this huge, never ending network.