Helen Weeres (they/them) has a background in poetry, Literary & Cultural Analysis and Gender & Sexuality Studies. Helen is fascinated by (forgotten) folklore, pagan traditions and flipping the script on anthropocentrism. Their work as a maker ranges from poetry (performances) to the design of rituals and the instruments needed to perform them. These rituals invite participants to reflect on their relationship with their ecosystem and become ecologically active rather than anthropocentrically passive.
Aside from their work as an artist, Helen works to connect the arts to regenerative farms by building a network of residencies at regenerative farms (FRUITING BODIES) together with Platform DIS, and creating a residency program for artists, cooks and farmers (ERF – Eat, Reconnect, Farm) at regenerative farm ‘t Gagel together with Stichting Bodemzicht.
Contact
weereshelen@gmail.com
Kunstnest
Wolfhoeksestraat 3A
6662PH Elst
Artist in residence
2024 – Vlaams-Nederlands Huis deBuren – Writing residency
2024 – Extrapool / Knust Press – Riso printhouse residency
2023 / now – Soil Life Programme of Platform DIS – Nomadic, long-term collaborative residency
Exhibitions
2024 – Soil Life – Interactive poetic installation of brick-bound ritual practices at Platform POST in collaboration with Platform DIS
2023 – Binnenstebuitenste – Interactive poetic installation of connecting ritual practices at Triple V Studios
2022 – ‘Dit is een liefdesbriefje’ – Poetic collaboration with Yael Wassen at Sissi’s Expo Resto
2019 – Humans of Film Festival – Screening of the film ‘Flora.mov’ made by Saïda Ragas and Helen Weeres at Rialto
2019 – PISSWIFE EXPO ‘I forgot you’ve seen me naked’ – Screening of the short film ‘Flora.mov’ by Saïda Ragas and Helen Weeres at SEXYLAND
2018 – The Politics of Boredom – Curator of exhibition and screening of conducted research interviews at Framer Framed
Performances
2024 – deBuren: Alle 18 goed! (BE) – Poetic tour
2024 – ILFU / De Utrechtse Boekenbar: Poëzie & Jazz XXL (NL) – Poetry recital
2024 – Vonk & Zonen: Vers Vuur (BE) – Poetry recital
2024 – WWF Summit (NL) – Poetry recital
2023 – Decade of Action: Crazy Ones (NL) – Poetry recital
2023 – Binnenstebuitenste (NL) – Poetry recital
2023 – Boerderij Bodemzicht fundraiser (NL) – Poetry recital
2023 – Mensen Zeggen Dingen: Hoogte80 Festival (NL) – Poetry recital
2023 – We Are The Re-generation Counter-summit: The Real Thing (NL) – Poetry recital
2023 – Mensen Zeggen Dingen: Doornroosje (NL) – Poetry recital
2022 – Launch of Regeneration: Solving the climate crisis in one generation (NL) – Poetry recital
2022 – Mensen Zeggen Dingen: Verkadefabriek (NL) – Poetry recital
2022 – Open Tuinen Dag: Landgoed Grootstal (NL) – Poetry recital
2019 – Pferdefest: Mot. ‘Magnetism.’ (DE) – Interdisciplinary performance
2019 – Ruimtekoers festival: Mot. ‘Magnetism.’ (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2019 – Music Meeting Festival: Mot. Jubileum Show (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2019 – Willemeen: Mot. Jubileum Show 2.0 (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2019 – City Marketing – Made in Arnhem: Mot. ‘Magnetism.’ (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2019 – Uitnacht Arnhem / Rozet: Mot. Spoken. ‘Contact.’ (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2019 – Mensen Zeggen Dingen: De Volmolen Amersfoort (NL) – Poetry recital
2019 – Red de Willemeen!: Mot. Spoken. (NL) – Poetry recital
2019 – PISSWIFE: EXPO ‘I forgot you’ve seen me naked’ (NL) – Poetry recital
2018 – Focus Filmtheater / MOVIES THAT MATTER on tour: Mot. Spoken. ‘Stof.’ (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2018 – Bar de Groen: Mot. ‘Mechanisms.’ (NL) – Interdisciplinary performance
2018 – PISSFEST zine fair (NL) – Poetry recital
2018 – BLUE Collective presents: Sensation (NL) – Poetry recital
2018 – PISSWIFE: launch party (NL) – Poetry recital
2017 – SKEK’s avond van de letteren (NL) – Poetry recital
2016 – Nacht Theater: Waar de rest begon #3 (NL) – Poetry recital
2016 – Schatjes: An Afternoon of Sights & Sounds (NL) – Poetry recital
2016 – Le Grand Spectacle (NL) – Poetry recital
2015 – PROP: Particolarte’s rondreizend podium (NL) – Poetry recital
2014 – SGA: ‘Niet Alleen Ik’ (NL) – Theatre
2005 Theater aan de Rijn: ‘Oosje, oosje (Koning Burger: jonge honden, oude rotten)’ (NL) – Theatre
Collectives
De Klimaatdichters (2024 – heden)
MensenZeggenDingen (2019 – heden)
Intersectioneel feministisch collectief PISSWIFE (2017 – 2020)
Interdisciplinair collectief Mot. (2018 – 2020)
Publications
2024 – De Revisor #42 – Print publication of poem ‘Blaffende honden’ and QR code to audiopoem
2024 – De Lage Landen – Online publication of poem ‘Blaffende honden’ and link to audiopoem
2024 – The Low Lands – Online publication of the English translation of poem ‘Blaffende honden’ and link to audiopoem
2024 – Embodied Ecology zine – Risoprint publication made during artist residency at Extrapool in collaboration with Knust Press. Publication of poem ‘The cold damp of winter’
2020 – ZINK: De collectie 02 – Print publication of three poems titled ‘Hoe de zomer overrompelen kan’
2020 – PISSWIFE Zine 2nd Ed. ‘I forgot you’ve seen me naked’ (2019) Print publication of poems ‘An Exploration of the Body’ and ‘From Barbie to Indecency’
2018 – PISSWIFE – Online publication of poem ‘PISSWIFE, to me, is a rollercoaster ride’
2018 – PISSWIFE Zine 1st Ed. ‘What is (a) Pisswife?’ – Print publication of article ‘What This Pisswife Doesn’t Understand About Marriage’
2018 – Caribisch Uitzicht – Online publication of essay ‘The Whiteness of Gender and People of Colour’2015 Circumplaudo – Online publication of short story ’14 oktober 2002’
Education
2018 University of Amsterdam Honours Program – Research assistant to Dr. Aylin Kuryel – The Politics of Boredom: Academic workshop & art exhibition
2016 / 2019 University of Amsterdam – BA Literary Studies: Literary and Cultural Analysis
Minor Gender & Sexuality Studies. Thesis: “Utopia Bound: Performing Queerness in Writing –
An exploration of Maggie Nelson’s ‘The Argonauts’”.
2014 / 2016 Schrijversvakschool Amsterdam – Specialized in poetry and prose
Habitat
Arnhem (1996 – 2014)
Amsterdam (2014 – 2022)
Berg en Dal (2022 – 2024)
Reeth (2024 – heden)