“Armillaria” by Photographer Jonah Reenders

A series exploring the largest living organism in the world by photographer Jonah Reenders. Reenders studied Environmental Science and worked as a field biologist for almost a decade. As an artist he is interested in the relationship between humanity and the natural world, collecting data through imagery to weave together narratives that question our ecological understanding. “Armillaria” explores queer ecology by investigating the Armillaria ostoyae or humongous fungus. Found in the Malheur National Forest, the fungi is estimated to be 10,000 years old. Reenders collected some mycelium and has been documenting its growth in agar plates. Using constructed narratives and explorations into the psychic landscape, this project seeks to understand our symbiotic relationship to ecological networks.