Slovanský ústav AV ČR, v.v.i, Valentinská 91/1, Praha 1, 3rd floor, Wednesday 14 September, 6 PM

Fungi in Popular Culture and Global Cuisine: A Conversation With Dina Iordanova

Fungi are a subtle phenomenon that has permeated human culture since its dawn. From the earliest times until today, they have accompanied hunters and gatherers on their adventurous expeditions.

Where there seems to be a sharp divide between traditional and modern society, fungi form a silent continuum. Although fungi are not constrained by political boundaries, they have different meanings in many cultures around the world.
The Centre for Popular Culture contributes to this mushroom forage from a cultural perspective. Leading fungi experts Karel Šima and Petr Gibas will guide us through the evening conversation with Prof. Dina Iordanova. With them, we will explore the history of fascinating fungi and discuss how fungi have inspired popular music, literature, and film. Last but not least, we will take a look under the lid and examine the fungi on our menu.