Ergot is the dried sclerotium of the fungus, Claviceps purpurea and these arise on the grains of various cereal plants. The sclerotium contains high concentrations of various highly toxic alkaloids which possess a range of biological activities, including effects on circulation and neurotransmission. Consumption of flour contaminated with Ergot results in St. Anthony’s fire or Ergotism, the symptoms of which include hallucinations, sensations of severe burning and gangrene. Ergotism resulted in the death of 40,000 people in AD 944 in Southern France. In this work the medium is ergot sclerotia and consequently it is quite possibly one of the most toxic forms of art ever produced. Here ergots, the compact dark and toxic masses, are held in an impermeable safety cabinet and are only visible only through a sealed viewing portal, so that their threat is ever present, but in that moment of viewing, their highly disruptive biochemical potential is contained.
Fascinating and scary!
Thanks Jac. If you wanted use them in your own sculptural work I’m happy to let you have them. I think that they’re quite rare these days, especially in the UK
Reblogged this on Beautiful Dystopias and commented:
Toxic cereals – fascinating insight into dangerous fungus