The T-shroom

“Whilst I was studying at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts, a like-minded colleague Peteris Kimelis and I decided to find people who still grew tea mushrooms. My memories of growing tea mushrooms were foggy – in my early childhood, on a table in the kitchen stood a three litre glass jar with a strange, see-through pancake that floated in brown water. In spite of its appearance, it was a drink that was far superior to all the Coca-colas and Fantas of today. We placed a notice in the newspaper, stating that we were looking for people that still used and grew the tea mushroom. In the end, the project became a notable advertising campaign for the good old tea mushroom – it was in the press, on television and on the radio. A documentary film was made about tea mushroom growers that was screened in a specially organised Tea Mushroom Shop that was set up right in the centre of Riga, where any passer-by could get a free baby tea mushroom in a test tube.”