Fermynwoods Podcast 22 - Tosca Terán

Fermynwoods Podcast 22 - Tosca Terán

Author: Fermynwoods Contemporary Art December 19, 2023 Duration: 50:12

This episode of the Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast with artist Tosca Terán draws from fungal mycelial communication research to create a soundscape which the artist herself describes as ‘perhaps a bit ominous with a dash of science fiction’.

Working with the bio-electrical activity of living mycelium, in Forest UnderSound = Ways of Knowing, Tosca reveals the ethereal fungi frequencies of the oyster mushroom, pleurotus ostreatus.

Threading control voltages throughout what Tosca affectionately refers to as a 'Myco-Synth' the mushroom becomes a conduit for pulsating waves, coursing through intricate patch cables to construct a mesmerizing drone.

Thanks to Spencer Graham for providing the field recording from Fermyn Woods that was interpolated into this work.

More at: https://fermynwoods.org/fermynwoods-podcast-22-tosca-teran

The accompanying visual is a video response to the episode, by artist Sapphire Goss.


Tucked away in the rural landscapes of Northamptonshire, an arts charity quietly cultivates some of the most intriguing conversations and sonic experiments you can hear. The Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast extends that work directly into your headphones, transforming the medium itself into a gallery without walls. This isn't about recording traditional talks; it's an active, experimental space where contemporary art is both displayed and created specifically for audio. You might find yourself immersed in a newly commissioned piece of sound art one week, then dropped into an intimate discussion between artists the next, followed by a thoughtful audio essay that challenges how we perceive public space. By focusing on accessibility, this podcast ensures that innovative art isn't confined to a physical location, but lives and breathes from people's homes. Each episode is a curated experience, reflecting Fermynwoods' core mission of supporting life through art by commissioning meaningful engagements. It’s for anyone curious about the processes behind visual art and the potential of sound to frame new ideas. Listen and discover how a charity's remote commissions can resonate so personally, turning a private listen into a public encounter with the forefront of artistic practice.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 33

Fermynwoods Contemporary Art Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Fermynwoods Podcast 12 - Sayed Sattar Hasan [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:27
In this episode, the Fermynwoods Podcast shifts slightly from our current programme theme of how humans influence and affect the landscape around them, to how a history of changing landscapes can shape a human. Sayed Sat…
Fermynwoods Podcast 11 - David Blyth [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:32
An enhanced discussion between Fermynwoods Director James Steventon and David Blyth. David Blyth is an artist and Course Leader in Contemporary Art Practice at Gray's School of Art, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. Hi…
Fermynwoods Podcast 10 - Lucie McLaughlin [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
Artist Lucie McLaughlin mines her everyday for sounds in the three-part audio work Clickety-Clack. In this work, we can hear the sound of seagulls, a printer dancing, music leaked through walls, the quiet rabble of voice…
Fermynwoods Podcast 9 - Marie-Chantal Hamrock [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:17
Artist Marie-Chantal Hamrock presents new audio work The Iron, The Pitchfork & The Sow in this latest episode of the Fermynwoods Podcast. Building on her film There is Something in the Ground, There is Something in the S…
Fermynwoods Podcast 8 - Anna Brownsted [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:37
The second season of our podcast starts with an original audio work by, and discussion with, Anna Brownsted. Anna works across a wide range of media including sound, installation, and performance. Her work Week Nine was…
Fermynwoods Podcast 7 - Geoff Diego Litherland [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:50
For the final episode of our first podcast season, host and Assistant Director at Fermynwoods Jessica Harby talks with artist Geoff Diego Litherland about his new album of music. Since 2016, Geoff's practice developed fr…
Fermynwoods Podcast 6 - Tom Baskeyfield [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:48
Episode 6 of our podcast features a discussion between artist Tom Baskeyfield and writer Josh Allen. Tom's works on paper, depicting local stones floating on a black plane, are currently on display in our In Steps of Sun…
Fermynwoods Podcast 5 - Rebecca Lee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:31
For our fifth episode of the Fermynwoods Podcast, we focus on our Alternative Provision programme with students from The CE Academy. Artist and musician Rebecca Lee has created her sound piece You Can Hear The Wind entir…
Fermynwoods Podcast 4 - Anja Borowicz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:40
The fourth instalment of our podcast is an original sound work in response to our Triple Harvest callout by London-based artist, collaborator and researcher Anja Borowicz. Before transitioning to art, Anja studied indust…
Fermynwoods Podcast 3 - Leyla Pillai [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:10
Artist, writer and researcher Leyla Pillai takes us on a guided tour of a fictionalised truth in episode three of the Fermynwoods Podcast. Building on episode two's exploration of Pleasure Garden, this new audio work is…