Tanja Major, born in 1971 and living in Bavaria, has been working as a freelance artist since 1997. As a pioneer in the field of mushroom paper art, she researches innovative methods to turn mushrooms into paper fibers. Their handmade mycovat consists of various fungi and is therefore a "compostable or sustainable art" that can be returned to the natural cycle. This addresses the fragility of nature and life.

The soil is a complex nutrient medium that is teeming with symbiotic life. One kilogram of soil can contain up to 500 billion bacteria, one billion fungi and up to 500 million multicellular organisms, including fungal mycelium, plant roots, insects and bacteria. Many of these organisms work together to decompose organic matter such as leaves and animal excrement, extract nitrogen from them and convert it so that plants can absorb it. 

Fungi play a key role in plant growth, thus our diet. In fact, almost every tree, shrub and tuft of grass is linked to fungi. Principles of cooperation apply both in nature and in paper production. Major is interested in a comprehensive understanding of the life cycles in which emergence and decay are interwoven. It shows various ways of making paper from mushrooms, such as tinder fungus and much more. 

The Lagotto Romagnolo, a breed of dog trained to hunt for truffles, inspired the artist. She created a paper object made of dog hair, mushrooms and truffle slices, which points to the difficulties of truffle hunting in Italy due to global warming.

Tanja Major www.fungi-paper.de, has already exhibited in Bulgaria (Sofia), Korea, Dubai, Tasmania, Japan, USA, Israel and at various locations in Germany.