C18H10N2O4 

Maya Han
2023, US, video essay/hybrid documentary, 35 min.

C18H10N2O4 is the chemical compound of melanin, one of the most ancient and ubiquitous biological pigments found across nature, including in humans and fungi. Using as a point-of-departure melanin’s historical role as a spurious marker of racial categories, this essay film explores the surprising ways in which melanin and mycology are intertwined, uncovering connections to African and colonial histories, as well as the chemical’s fascinating larger role in nature and culture.