mushroom memories _Interactive Forest Experience to Stockholm Elderly Care Homes

A collaborative art installation that transforms care home spaces into responsive, multisensory environments will be touring Stockholm elderly residences this Spring. “Mushroom Memories” combines natural elements with digital technology to create an accessible contemporary art experience for those who can no longer easily visit arts spaces or natural settings.

The installation centers around a 90-year-old birch root and invites participants to engage with various elements according to their own preferences and interests. Rather than simulating a forest, the installation presents elements that evoke personal memories and experiences with nature, highlighting our inherent interconnectedness with all life.

“Mushroom Memories” represents the combined expertise of five artists working across different sensory domains: Alena Grahn (initiator and artistic director), Julia Adzuki (physical sculpture), Jakob Skote (augmented reality), Hara Alonso (sound design), and Lisa Jeanin (scent compositions). Each element responds to participants’ movements and choices, creating a personalized journey through the installation.

“We created this project to address a simple reality—elderly people in care homes often have limited access to both natural environments and contemporary art,” says Alena Grahn, artistic director. The installation is designed to respond to participants’ presence and actions, offering a layered sensory experience that unfolds through touch, sound, smell, and augmented visuals. 

The installation questions conventional assumptions about where art belongs and who has access to cultural experiences. Residents of care homes become active participants rather than passive observers, choosing how they interact with the installation’s responsive elements.

This project is possible thanks to the support of Kulturbrygan- Swedish Arts Grants Commitee.

And the making process…