23 and Mary: A Banning Abecedarium, is a poetic and illuminating glimpse into the life and art of Mary Elizabeth Banning (1822-1903), a pioneering 19th century American mycologist. Self-taught, and one of the first and only women in then-burgeoning field of mycology, Banning identified 23 new species of fungi. Her bold and spirited approach to her life, art, and the natural sciences is an inspiring story for all.
Until now, nearly nothing has been available on Banning’s life and legacy. Her magnum opus, Fungi of Maryland – 175 stunning watercolor illustrations with scientifically accurate descriptions – languished unpublished, hidden away and forgotten for nearly a century.
Please help support the post-production costs of 23 and Mary: A Banning Abecedarium to allow this finished film to screen theatrically. Your donation, however small, will enable Mary Banning’s untold story to reach, and inspire, wider audiences. Thank you!
23 and Mary: A Banning Abecedarium by Maya Han
2025; USA; 25 minutes; digital video
(2 min. excerpt above – please contact if interested in viewing the complete film )