Richard Klein at The Mildred Complex(ity) Project Space

Superficially, copper and fungi would seem to have little in common with each other. Richard Klein has been copper-plating organic objects, including fungi, for more than thirty years, but it was only recently that the artist realized that there were parallels between the red metal and the kingdom of eukaryotic (fungal) organisms. For Net(works), Klein brings together recent works that are made with electroplated fungi, many of which incorporate sheets of copper that have been photo engraved with images of urban landscapes, bridges, and electrical infrastructure. These works speak of the way that both copper and fungi form communication networks on the planet Earth: from the copper electric and digital grids that encircle the globe, to the filaments of fungi mycelium that connect with virtually all terrestrial plant life. Fungi and their plant partners have been critical to the evolution of life on Earth for what is estimated to be 460 million years, while copper has been instrumental in the development of civilization since its first utilization by humans over 8,000 years ago.

On view from September 27th until November 8th.

The Mildred Complex(Ity) Project Space
37B Main Street, Narrowsburg, NY 12764
Thursday – Saturday, 12pm – 5pm And By Appointment.

Artist Talk | October 24, 2025
Town Friday At The Mildred Complex(Ity) Annex
251 Bridge Street At Main, 2 Rear – Courtyard Entrance
Reception 5-8pm – Artist Talk At 6pm