Rica Fuentes, 1977 in Barcelona, Spanien, geboren, lebt und arbeitet in Wien als bildende Künstlerin mit Schwerpunkt Art & Science. Nach einem ausserordentlichen Studium an der Akademie der bildenden Künste in der Klasse kontextuelle Malerei (Ashley Hans Scheirl und Jakob Lena Knebl) begann sie bereits im Jahr 2017 mit der Serie, Grund-Risse, Kunst und Wissenschaft in ihren Arbeiten zu verbinden und auf einer philosophischen Metaebene u.a. soziokulturelle Fragen in bildnerische Arbeiten zu transkribieren.
https://www.ricafuentes.com/
https://www.instagram.com/ricafuentesmartinez/

Jitka Effenberger works as technician at the department of Soft Matter Physics at the Johannes Kepler University Linz, researching and investigating on myceliumbased materials in interdisciplinary teams (projects: Myco-Insulation, MycoSoft). She is teaching and organizing collaborative mycelium material workshops and lectures in multiple departments at the University of Arts Linz and other institutions. Technical consulting in several artistic projects. Architecture student at BASEhabitat, University of Arts Linz, with focus on sustainable ecological building materials, working on her MA thesis on circular biobased mycomaterials in architecture. Beside the scientific and material-technical approach on mycomaterials, Jitka Effenberger is focusing fungi from an aesthetic point of view, experimenting with mycelial patterns, colours, structures etc. in artistic works.

Paula Flores was born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. She has a bachelor’s in visual art from the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and a Master’s in Art & Science from the University of Applied Arts, Vienna. Through her artwork, she attempts to represent the complexity of nature, and our knowledge, as well as ignorance, that we have towards it.  She treats themes such as interspecies communication and relationships, the disappearance of native cultures, flora, and fauna as a result of modern industry, the spaces they occupy, and how they’ve changed or disappeared due to commodification. Making use of diverse artistic disciplines and a mix of organic materials such as fungi, paper, natural fibres, and industrial materials. She creates a dialogue regarding the current situation between humans and nature.

Irene Antonez is a Prague-based multimedia artist and art educator. She creates surreal, psychedelic-looking paintings with a focus on plant world, fungi, and microorganisms. Irene Antonez holds two master’s degrees in Fine Art and Future Design from Prague City University. Her paintings are in private collections in the USA, France, Italy, the Czech Republic, Romania, Russia, and more. Antonez’s work has been exhibited in numerous group & solo exhibitions, and art & music festivals. For the past 3 years she has been teaching art classes in universities, schools, festivals, hotels, cafes, at conferences, as well as in her own art studio. Antonez developed a unique approach to seminars that unite art, nature, and science. She aims to inspire her students to be open-minded, experimental, intuitive, and curious.

Jana Nicole is an award-winning mixed-media artist and educator based in the UK, known for her intricate collage work inspired by the natural world. She is the co-founder of the UK’s first fungi-focused festival, and her practice often weaves together art, science, and storytelling to inspire deeper connections with the wild. Her workshops are known for their warmth, creativity, and nature-based themes.