mycelium alcove explores organic matter and sound interconnectedness

Côme Di Meglio crafts a mycelium alcove in Champagne

Song of the Origins, a mycelium-based installation by Côme Di Meglio, explores the interconnectedness of life and sound in Champagne’s Maison Ruinart Sculpture Garden, Reims. Combining organic materials and traditional craftsmanship, the structure serves as a space that merges physical and spiritual dimensions, sound and matter, the visible and the invisible.

Framed with expertly crafted oak carpentry, the mycelium alcove contrasts its rugged, earth-like exterior with a smooth, carved interior, resembling the chalk pits beneath its site. Suspended within, a golden gong resonates in the curved space, echoing ancient dwellings, caves, and sacred spaces. The circular shape and mycelium’s acoustic properties focus sound, while the gong’s resonance frequency complements the architecture, creating sustained vibrations that envelop the body.

all images by image by Alexandre Zimmermann

Song Of the Origins explores the link between life and sound

The installation’s title draws from myths of creation where the universe was sung into being, creating a correlation between matter and vibration, music and creation, life, and a sense of harmony. Recent research on living organisms’ response to sound inspired Côme Di Meglio’s design—trees react to birdsong, plants sense flowing rivers, and mycelium responds to thunder. Song of the Origins celebrates this profound vibrational interconnectedness, as if life remembers the song that birthed existence.

While it resembles enduring stone, the mycelium structure is dynamic and biodegrades back into soil. Over time, the material enriches the soil, supporting plant and fungal growth and strengthening the relationship of this artwork with the lush garden it is grounded in. Each gong strike sustains this cycle, fostering new life. The oak frame, crafted with traditional techniques and free of screws or glue, will also biodegrade, retaining the memory of this architecture.

Song of the Origins by Côme Di Meglio merges sound, matter, and spirit

project acts as a ‘temple’ that enhances awareness and presence

Built in Marseille near Côme Di Meglio’s studio by Chantier Naval Borg, known for specializing in traditional boat-building, the project aligns with the designer’s vision of creating ‘temples’ that enhance awareness and presence. These spaces give tangible form to the intangible, connecting individuals to the broader web of life. Future explorations include communal mycelium spaces and urban interior designs aimed at restoring belonging and interdependence.

As part of Ruinart’s collection, Song of the Origins underscores the brand’s commitment to sustainability and ecological art. Permanently showcased in the new Sculpture Garden at Maison Ruinart, designed by Christophe Gautrand, it reflects Ruinart’s dedication to supporting artists whose work aligns with environmental values and sustainable practices.

crafted from mycelium and oak, the installation contrasts a rugged exterior with a smooth, carved interior