Rachel Portesi: The Nature of Things

January 26 – February 27, 2026

This solo exhibition features works from the artist's newest series exploring the symbolic nature of mushrooms and examines themes of mortality, regeneration, and interconnectedness through early photographic methods, AI altered tintypes and time-lapse sequences, incorporating funji as both material and metaphor.

Rachel Portesi is known for her cross-genre practice rooted in analog photography—ranging from large-format modern wet plate collodion tintypes to Polaroids—which she often pairs with sculpture, film and installation. Through coiled compositions and the incorporation of organic materials, the artist connects the natural world and the human condition, weaving her own experiences—narratives of motherhood, life, beauty and death—with historical references to create ethereal images that speak to the collective whole.

The Nature of Things delves into these themes, combining natural science with literary and art historical precedents to examine relationships between the microscopic and the macroscopic. Drawing inspiration from sources ranging from Greek mythology to Lucretius’s ancient Roman poem De Rerum Natura—which explores the idea that nothing perishes, atoms simply disperse, recombine, and rejoin the endless circulation of existence—the artworks on display reconsider the cycles of life and death as part of an ongoing, interconnected web, both in the natural world and in the human experience. The exhibition reflects on the profound mycelial networks beneath our feet, which sustain and connect ecosystems, and parallels these with modern digital networks, prompting reflection on our evolving relationship with technology, nature, and each other. Central to the presentation is a site-specific installation consisting of a handmade wicker burial tray, earthen materials, flowers, and mushrooms. This interactive work underscores the exhibition’s larger themes, inviting engagement that prompts reflection on death. Ultimately, The Nature of Things honors nature’s resilience, reciprocity, and the sacred interconnectedness of all life. In a polarized social and political climate, the combination of mycology and art feels especially resonant— encouraging empathy, collective healing, and a deeper engagement with the living world. Portesi’s innovative blend of ancient philosophy, cutting edge technology, and natural phenomena invites audiences to explore new ways of seeing our place in the cosmos—reminding us that in death, as in life, we remain deeply connected to the whole.