PETALING JAYA, Feb 7 — A captivating art exhibition dedicated to the diverse world of wild Malaysian mushrooms was held at DeStage @ Jaya One today, showcasing unique photographs captured by a passionate group of mushroom enthusiasts.
Driven by their love for mycology, the collective has transformed their hobby into a remarkable exploration of various mushroom species.
The exhibition featured an array of extraordinary — and often tiny — mushrooms, some measuring less than 1mm, found in jungles, along mountain trails and even in backyard gardens.
It was organised by five dedicated women: Gim Siew Tan, Soo Geok Tan, Jerry Yap, Francesca Lim and Elyse Yang, who have committed themselves to searching for and documenting these fascinating fungi.
The journey began in 2010 when Soo Geok discovered her passion for photographing vibrant mushrooms while hiking.
“I was simply pursuing a hobby, and one day I received a message from Assoc Prof Jaya Seelan Sathiya Seelan from the University of Malaysia Sabah, asking to use one of my photos for his research paper,” she recalled.
“That sparked my deeper interest in photographing mushrooms and exploring their diverse species,” she added.
Inspired by her enthusiasm, Soo Geok was soon joined by like-minded individuals who now refer to themselves as “science citizens”.
Their pursuit of mushrooms has taken them across Malaysia, from the peninsula to Borneo, in search of unique fungi and slime moulds.
During her treks, Gim Siew often carries a torch to illuminate small specimens hidden in the undergrowth.
“It’s an all-day adventure. We spend hours walking through the jungle or along trails in pursuit of mushrooms.
“It has truly become a full-time hobby for us,” she added.
Yang noted the rich biodiversity of mushrooms found in different forests.
“We travel extensively to discover various species,” she said.
Last year, the first mushroom art exhibition was held in Sabah, organised by Jaya to raise awareness about poisonous mushrooms.
The concept was later embraced by Yap, who rallied her team to host a similar exhibition in Petaling Jaya to inspire greater public interest in mushrooms.
“We felt it was important to showcase our photographs and inspire more people to learn about mushrooms,” she said.
The exhibition also featured talks by Jaya and Universiti Malaya mycologist Assoc Prof Tan Yee Shin, both of whom have conducted extensive research on Malaysia’s mushroom species.
“Currently, there are more than 8,000 mushroom species documented in Malaysia. However, only two of us are actively engaged in this research. If more mycologists joined the field, we could uncover even more species,” said Jaya.
Based in Sabah, Jaya spends much of his time exploring jungles with specialised equipment to locate tiny mushrooms, which he later analyses in his laboratory.
Similarly, Yee Shin focuses her research at UM on the applications of different mushrooms.
“We investigate the food and medicinal benefits of each mushroom species.
“There are just too many of them, and each is unique in its own way,” she added.
The initial exhibition in Sabah aimed to inform the public about mushrooms while highlighting the risks of mushroom poisoning.
“We encounter numerous cases every month, making it essential to educate people that not all mushrooms are safe for consumption,” Jaya said.
The exhibition is open to the public until tomorrow evening, 6pm, with free admission.
