Dr. Piotr Bockowski's Fungi Media

In A Thousand Plateaus, Deleuze and Guattari introduce the concept of the rhizome as an alternative to hierarchical structures of knowledge and communication. “The rhizome connects any point to any other point, and its traits are not necessarily linked to traits of the same nature”. This non-hierarchical, decentralized system is comparable to fungal mycelium, which spreads organically in multiple directions, forming connections that facilitate exchange and growth. Xenopoem operates on a similar principle. The text is fragmented and seemingly chaotic, eschewing traditional narrative structure in favor of a networked, rhizomatic form. Here, language operates less as a tool for linear communication and more as an interconnected system of signs, mirroring the structure of a fungal network. Just as mycelia allow for the transfer of nutrients between plants, the language in Xenopoem facilitates the exchange of meaning across human and non-human realms, suggesting a post-human ecosystem where boundaries between entities dissolve. Dr. Piotr Bockowski’s Fungi Media framework highlights the role of fungi in ecosystems as facilitators of non-hierarchical communication and interaction. In a similar vein, Xenopoem decentralizes meaning and narrative, removing the author as a singular authority over the text. This approach aligns with the post-structuralist idea that “the author is dead,” as proposed by Roland Barthes: “A text’s unity lies not in its origin but in its destination”. In this view, meaning is not imposed by the author but generated through the interaction of the text and the reader. By embracing this decentralized model, Xenopoem reflects the rhizomatic nature of fungi, where no single point controls the flow of information. The language in Xenopoem grows and mutates, much like mycelia, in response to the environment—in this case, the reader’s engagement. The text challenges the reader to make sense of its linguistic fragmentation, to co-create meaning in an ongoing process of interpretation and re-interpretation, much like a fungal network constantly interacts with its surroundings to survive and grow. The decentralization of meaning in Xenopoem positions the reader as an active participant in the creation of meaning, much like an ecological agent interacting with a fungal network. Ludwig Wittgenstein’s philosophy of language, particularly his idea of language games, emphasizes the participatory nature of meaning: “The meaning of a word is its use in the language”. For Wittgenstein, meaning arises not from inherent definitions but from the way words are used in specific contexts. Similarly, a language in Xenopoem resists stable definitions and fixed meanings. Instead, it invites the reader to play with the text, to experiment with different interpretations, and to co-construct meaning through their interaction with the language. In this sense, reading Xenopoem is akin to navigating a mycelial network, where the reader is part of an interconnected system of meaning-making. The text, like fungi, is alive, growing and evolving through its interaction with the reader. Bockowski’s Fungi Media suggests that media, like fungi, are living entities that adapt, evolve, and engage in symbiotic relationships with their environment. This idea resonates with Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of the “body without organs,” which they describe as a “limitless plan(e) of immanence” where structures and hierarchies break down, allowing for new possibilities of being and becoming. In Xenopoem, language becomes a “body without organs,” a fluid, formless entity that defies the rigid structures of grammar and syntax, opening up new ways of thinking and communicating. The language in Xenopoem mirrors the life cycle of fungi, constantly breaking down old structures and creating new forms of expression. The text decomposes conventional linguistic forms, much as fungi decompose organic matter, allowing for the emergence of new meanings and associations. In this way, xenopoetics embodies the post-human condition, where identity and meaning are fluid, continuously reshaped by technological and biological processes.

Fungi Media: Performing Fungosexual Mutations (Media: Art: Write: Now)