white mushroom, black earth

"One day Asuka came home and was very excited. She said she saw a huge white mushroom in the earth room and picked it up and gave it to Bill. ‘He was eating a salad, with a nice fork and wooden bowl. So he went into the back and sliced the mushroom and added to the salad.’ Nate laughed, but he never believed her. Later at some point he read an article in print news and Bill was interviewed. He did mentioned mushrooms."

--excerpt from White Mushroom, Black Earth

 

Bill Dilworth has been keeping the New York Earth Room for more than 25 years. When Mengxi came to film this project, he let her use his office as the interview stage. He is also a friend of Walter de Maria, the artist who created the New York Earth Room. After the film's New York premiere, Bill said to Mengxi:

 

"Walter hoped that by not getting caught up in cameras or specific meanings that the visitor’s personal experience would be amplified. You did that. Your film amplified visitors personal experience in a respectful, simple, insightful and mysterious way."

 

Bill did not eat the mushroom Asuka picked in real life, though he would probably.