The Enlightenment placed humans at the center of thought — but lichens teach us a different way of perceiving the world: relational, interconnected, non-human-centered. As symbiotic combinations of fungi and algae or cyanobacteria, they embody a way of thinking that transcends the individual: they are more-than-human organisms, holobionts, networks of cooperation and adaptation. They thrive in extreme environments, survive for centuries, and form fragile ecologies that are often overlooked — yet hold fundamental lessons for our own existence.
text: Barbara Marie Hofmann
sound: Paul Bießmann
The project is part of the subtheme Symbiotic Futures – Ecopoetics in the Age of Extinction.
Author
Barbara Marie Hofmann
Barbara Marie Hofmann (*1988) is a poet and artist. Her writing is characterized by wordplay, musicality, and imagery. In her artistic work, she employs multilingual approaches and interdisciplinary collaborations (sound, dance, performance). Her poems have been published in anthologies and magazines. Her plays and scenic texts have been staged in Germany, Switzerland, and the USA. As an author, she is part of the HIDALGO collective in Munich. In spring 2024, her first poetry collection, HALBES AUGE BLAUE TAUBE (Half Eye Blue Dove), was published by edition neje tieden Hamburg.
Author
Paul Bießmann
Paul Bießmann (*1988) is a musician and digital artist working at the intersection of sound and technology. His practice often focuses on interactive and generative systems in which audience, space or sensors become integral to the composition. In 2022, he was an Artist in Lab with the Fraunhofer network and he is a founding member of the interdisciplinary HIDALGO collective. His music places a strong emphasis on improvised electronic sounds and its dialogue with classical and jazz traditions.
