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Reports from the forest
Reports from the Forest is a novel for readers of 9 to 90 about the secret plant, animal and insect life of a forest near Brussels. The story offers a new perspective on the more-than-human world around us and a glimpse of a positive future for our planet.
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Villa Berck
Villa Berck is a blog post series by a fictional curator describing practices of artists who collaborate respectfully with more-than-human beings. This speculative fiction thus becomes a tool for discussion and an indirect guide for readers interested in such collaborations.
The artistic practices featured in the series are inspired by interviews with real-life makers – with the artists mentioned in footnotes. The communication with the more-than-human beings — asking for their permission, consulting, involving them in decision-making, giving back, etc. — is inspired by existing methods in shamanistic and other spiritual practices and in communities developing a relationship with the land, such as permaculture, biodynamic farming, rights for nature, etc.
The blog post series is organized by season. The posts from one season together form a single narrative that will be available as a novel (physical book and epub).
In the spring, the curator writes about practices related to growth and development. Think of reading groups, walks, and performances aimed at gaining new experiences, a being with. In the summer, the focus is on shape shifters — artists who love to embody more-than-human beings. In the autumn, communication and visibility come into play, or how we can engage in dialogue with more-than-living beings to reflect on larger themes. In the winter, the curator seeks new inspiration from other practices within the arts and other fields. She writes about her visits, which yield new insights and experiences.