For more than forty years, Fred Waldvogel (1922–1997) explored the hidden world of fungi through his lens, combining scientific precision with an unmistakably poetic eye. Calling himself a “Fotografiker”, he staged mushrooms like tableaux vivants in his Zurich studio, creating compositions that revealed both their morphology and their character.
His photographs, which illustrated the classic Silva Verlag handbooks Pilze 1 and Pilze 2 (1972), were celebrated for their ability to gather all identifying features of a species into a single, striking image. Beyond their documentary value, they radiate a quiet curiosity and respect, letting fungi appear as protagonists of their own world.
Waldvogel left behind an archive of more than a thousand color slides (mostly 4×5 inch), meticulously labeled, scientifically ordered, and carefully stored. Today, this unique collection is housed in the University Library Zurich, Department of Plant Sciences.
This publication accompanies the exhibitions Fred Waldvogel. Pilz | Fotografie (Museum im Bellpark Kriens, 1 February 2025 – 4 January 2026) and Fred Waldvogel. Pilzlandschaften (Zeughaus Teufen, 21 June – 5 October 2025). Edited by David Glanzmann, Lilia Glanzmann, Andreas Hertach, Hilar Stadler, and Martin Stollenwerk.
