Mycorrhizae: The Other Half of the Hidden Half
By Jillian M. Sico; Kate Beidler
Tuscaloosa, AL: Frogsong Press, 2020. Edition of 62.

8 x 4.4"; 16 pages. Handmade paper. Sewn pamphlet binding. Signed and numbered by Sico.

Jillian M. Sico: "'An informational pamphlet, 'Mycorrhizae: the other half of the hidden half', written by ecologist Katie Beidler. Mycorrhizae are underground, necessary symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots that facilitate nutrient exchange and help communicate information among and between plant species. Robust mycorrhizal systems are a marker of the health of an established forest ecosystem and play a key role in soil carbon storage. Beidler's informative text provides an overview of mycorrhizae and their function within ecosystems, accompanied by scans of several species of tree roots.

"This book was letterpress printed on handmade paper as part of an artist book project entitled ‘Mycorrhizae’. I printed 62 of these pamphlet books on 100% handmade recycled paper with polypore mushroom inclusions. All of the paper is inoculated with chanterelle mushroom spores.

"The images are based on root scans and mycelium imagery printed from photopolymer plates. I made all of the paper for the edition by hand in the Lost Arch Paper Mill at The University of Alabama and outdoors in Tuscaloosa, Alabama."
$45