Nets Of Hyphae by Diana Policarpo

Convulsions, hallucinations, burning sensations. The ergot parasite that infects rye is known to be the cause of ergotism, or Saint Anthony's fire. In small doses, the fungus has traditionally been used by healers to induce abortions. However, their knowledge, rooted on experience and knowledge of the land and plants, was eradicated by the progress of patriarchal capitalism, which replaced it with obstetrics. Even today, historians speculate whether ergotism may have played a role in accusations of witchcraft against women during the Salem crisis in 1692, as well as against Sámi shamans in the Finnmark trials in 1621, and on other occasions.

Diana Policarpo's Nets of Hyphae exhibition, curated by Stefanie Hessler (Director of Kunsthall Trondheim), draws speculative connections between ergot fungi networks and women's health. Developed specifically in the context of this project, her works in video, animation, textiles and soundscape create parallels between the fungus cycle, reproductive justice and the expertise of midwives, healers and peasants in precariousness and resistance. Focusing on the feminist perspectives of hallucinogens and working with the transfeminist biohacker Paula Pin, Policarpo draws speculative parallels between ergotism, the suppression of ancestral knowledge and justice in health.