The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories
The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories
Ongoing
The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories completes the ‘Lantau Trilogy’ by Hong Kong–based artist duo Zheng Mahler. The trio of works explore the lived experiences of non-human species found on Lantau Island—water buffalos, bats, and fungi—and delve into their unique perspectives of the world.
In this last iteration, Zheng Mahler conducted extensive field research on the island and encountered thirty-eight distinct species of mushrooms. They photographed them, compiling a dataset of high-resolution images, and crafted twenty pieces of written materials about the captivating, sometimes perilous traits of each type of fungus. The dataset was then used to train a custom AI model, supplemented with additional images and animation prompts, to generate videos in response to each story. In the final animations, the mushrooms morph into vibrant fireworks, slithering snakes, and tree silhouettes as they narrate their own characteristics within the rich fauna of their habitats.
By offering a glimpse into the microscopic world of spores, mycelia, and fruiting bodies, this work introduces alternative viewpoints on life cycles and reproduction. It also emphasises the importance of cultivating AI through systematic work and meticulous care, enriching the diversity of non-human data that is often overlooked in current AI datasets.
Through psychedelic imagery and fantastical mushroom tales, Zheng Mahler invite us to contemplate our place within the broader tapestry of life.
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. Data image of Schizophyllum Commune (detail) from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. Data image of Conocybe tenera (detail) from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. Data image of Psalliota (Agaricus) campestris (detail) from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. Data image of Schizophyllum Commune (detail) from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. Data image of Conocybe tenera (detail) from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. Data image of Psalliota (Agaricus) campestris (detail) from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist
About the Artist
Zheng Mahler (established Hong Kong, 2009) is a collective formed by artist Royce Ng and anthrozoologist Daisy Bisenieks. They examine global trade and the relational networks between nature and technology, along with more-than-human geographies and the environmental architecture emerging from these interactions. Through digital media, performance, and installation, they create speculative scenarios and immersive, sensory encounters that explore the limits and potentials of their respective disciplines.
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About Digital Commissions
M+ is committed to providing platforms for projects by creative practitioners who propose new frameworks and discussions for visual culture. M+ launched its ongoing series of digital commissions in 2018 to address aspects of digital culture today, pointing to new, pressing lines of enquiry. The experimental, browser-based works in this series explore the intersection of visual culture and technology, encompassing data visualisation, interactive design, gamification, and creative technology.
Image at top: Zheng Mahler. A Mischievous Mushroom (still), AI-generated video of Gymnopilus aeruginosus from The Twenty-Three Thousand Sexes of Schizophyllum Commune and Other Stories, 2026. © Zheng Mahler. Image courtesy of the artist