Myka Baum ‘s practice is rooted in empathy for the overlooked and broken, seeking to reshape humanity’s relationship with nature through close collaboration with organisms such as earthworms, fungi, and bacteria. Myka Baum is a visual artist with a diverse background in textiles, garment production, and operations management. After a decade in the office, they studied fashion product management, photography at Central Saint Martins, and print at the Royal College of Art. Myka has shown work at GroundWork in 2021 as part of Nature’s Mysterious Networks: Mushrooms Mycelia and Yeasts.
A fascination with transformation
Their work often integrates photography with found or crafted sculptural objects, driven by a fascination with transformation. Utilising cameraless and lens-based techniques, Myka Baum employs processes like lumen printing, cyanotypes, and both analogue and digital photography. Their methodologies reflect a commitment to nature, including corroding film in compost, documenting microbiology of living and decaying matter, and planting crops through photographic prints. In one collaboration, they traced earthworm movements on light-sensitive paper and used ink made from their excrement. These processes create a tangible connection between art and nature, revealing overlooked aspects of the environment.
coming up…
… and going down again
the worm turns
worm observation tower
“Feeling their way intellectually into the inner heart of a thing”
“I am influenced by Henri Bergson’s idea of “feeling their way intellectually into the inner heart of a thing”. As such, my work captures the essence of the natural world in both scientific and poetic ways. My inspirations include artists like Susan Derges and Andy Goldsworthy, as well as thinkers such as Charles Darwin and Merlin Sheldrake.”
As a passionate environmentalist, Myka Baum engages in guerrilla gardening. They created an award-winning Secret Garden, and relocated saplings from London to a woodland in Wales. Their practice extends beyond the gallery into community engagement, aiming to inspire those lacking access to alternative perspectives. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Myka Baum ran a cutting hub to produce scrubs for the NHS, merging artistic practice with direct action.
