Autumn Festival Dedicated to the Fascinating World of Fungi: Mycorrhiza, Lichens, and All-Embracing Mycelium
September 27, 2025 | Historic Estate Zhoř near Krakovec
Science, art, film, and gastronomy will come together in the unique setting of a historic granary. NEURON Award laureate Petr Kohout will visit Zhoř to introduce the captivating world of fungi and symbiotic relationships in nature. In addition to a lecture and film screening, this year’s program will also include an audiovisual exhibition by a Belgian artist.
The afternoon program will begin at 2:00 PM with a lecture by leading Czech mycologist Mgr. Petr Kohout, Ph.D., who will explore the fascinating relationships between fungi and plants. Learn about mycorrhizal fungi and their crucial role in ecosystems and agriculture.
At 4:30 PM, we will screen the film Lichens by director Ondřej Vavrečka—a visually poetic documentary offering a deep insight into lichens as both a form and a philosophy of life.
Throughout the day, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM, the granary will host the exhibition Pacing 1,2 by Belgian artist Nienke Fransen, an artist-in-residence at Prague-based studio NEIRO.
Visitors and locals alike can look forward to grilled wild game, the French autumn specialty raclette, mushroom soup, and homemade drinks. Admission to all parts of the program is free.
“Our goal is to offer events that connect the landscape, science, and culture. Festivals like Fungi at Zhoř are an invitation to slow down and deepen our interest in the world around us – in what grows beneath our feet and in what we create together,”
says organizer Anna Matvija.
Program – Saturday, September 27, 2025
11:00 AM – 6:00 PM – Exhibition: Pacing 1,2 – Nienke Fransen (BE)
A contemporary installation by Belgian visual artist working at the intersection of space and narrative. The exhibition was created during her residency at NEIRO Association for Expanding Arts.
2:00 PM – Symbiosis of Fungi and Plants
Lecture by Mgr. Petr Kohout, Ph.D. – NEURON Award laureate and expert on mycorrhizal fungi
4:30 PM – Lichens (dir. Ondřej Vavrečka)
A poetic-scientific documentary about lichens and alternatives to expansion – with commentary by biologists Trevor Goward and C. R. Björk
Film info: https://www.ji-hlava.cz/filmy/lisejniky?version=classic
Organized by NEIRO Association for Expanding Arts, z. s. with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic and the municipality of Krakovec.
More information at www.zhorzije.cz