Dr M is particularly fond of lichens and especially delighted that the resident exhibition at Reading Science Week was the Symbiosis project which takes lichens as a metaphor for the creative symbiosis between artists and scientists.
In celebration of this union, Dr M has embarked on a series of music videos collectively entitled “a voyage round my lichen twigs” and all inspired by the diversity of lichens encountered on journeys along different twigs.
In the first video, Dr M’s travels along the branch of an old Pear tree encrusted with the extraordinary, striking shapes and colours of foliose and fruticose lichens such as Evernia, Flavoparmelia, Parmotrema, Parmelia and Usnea.
As the journey begins the lichens are dry and parched, but are soon “awakened” by rain revealing, by twists and turns, vibrant colours and beautiful shapes, alongside the haunting choral sounds of Norwegian composer Knut Knystedt.
March 18, 2014
