Mold Culture

Opening reception Fri., July 25, 6-10 p.m., free; exhibit runs through Aug. 23; Little Berlin, 119 W. Montgomery St., 610-308-0579, myspace.com/berlinlittle, berlin.little@gmail.com.

by Jakob Dorof

VISUAL ARTS

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In the domestic world, fungus is one of the last things you want to see. Sure, there's a cockroach in the bathroom and mice droppings in the cupboard. But mold is ever-present. There's mold in your bathroom, mold on that bread you bought just two days ago, mold consuming the entire fourth wall of the basement. It's gross and it's alive.

Enter the Labold Brothers. Their new exhibition of three-dimensional art at Little Berlin, "Mold Culture," celebrates all things musty and mildewed. Brother Gregory's Mush Room installation (pictured) will feature a spore pattern that consumes the walls of a space where decay thrives, like a long-abandoned home. The clash and compromise between nature and modern life is a persistent theme throughout; an as-yet-untitled piece by James Labold depicts a wax-rotted spaceship adorned by clipped wings and a bronze sun, bridging the gap between contemporary technology and the Greek myth of Icarus.

Also present are more humorous commentaries on the decay of culture over time. The Labolds collaborated on the "Super Saviors" series, which marries the face of Christ to various action figure leftovers from their youth, giving birth to Herculean demigods like Bat Jesus, Cyclops Jesus and Safari Jesus.

"Jesus is a precursor of any superhero," James explains. "Superman you could associate the most with a Christ figure, just in terms of the similarities between their back stories."

Best of all, rest assured that the mold here is entirely figurative. Save the gas masks for home.

Opening reception Fri., July 25, 6-10 p.m., free; exhibit runs through Aug. 23; Little Berlin, 119 W. Montgomery St., 610-308-0579, myspace.com/berlinlittle, berlin.little@gmail.com.