Together with a group of nine students, sonsbeek20→24 and DAI (Dutch Art Institute) kicked off the COOP: Blues For Essential Workers, a year-long collaborative study trajectory that brings together makers, researchers, writers and curators. Together with students of the sonsbeek20→24 COOP, we work to envision what it means to show up for workers of all kinds - recognised or not recognised work, visible or invisiblized labour, blue or white collar jobs, and to demonstrate for the essentiality of their work. With demonstration we intend to think from the root of the word, from its Latin etymological bearing demonstratus, and its past participle of demonstrare that signifies to point out or to indicate something. Maybe this brings us to the colloquial French notion for demonstration - manifestation - which implies the possibility of an action that discloses something that is secret, obscure or unseen. While we gather with students each month to work around these notions, the COOP takes steps towards public engagement, by voicing and listening through radio via sonsbeek20→24’s Parasite Radio.
Our previous gathering brought us back to our homebase in Arnhem, where curators Amal Alhaag and Krista Jantowski gathered for a week at WALTER books, together with guest lecturers Risa Horn, Cengiz Mengüç, Petra Randewijk, Milone Reigman, Romy Rüegger and with a field trip to the Parasiting Zinelibrary in Presikhaaf, working with a committed group of students on ideas about invisibilized labour, hosting, voicing and positionalities. Keep an eye (or ear) on parasiteradio for future broadcasts!
