Helen Weeres (they/them) has a background in poetry, Literary & Cultural Analysis and Gender & Sexuality Studies. They are fascinated by (forgotten) folklore, pagan histories and flipping the script on anthropocentrism. Their artistic practice ranges from poetry (performances) to the design of rituals, installations and instruments. Helen’s work invites reflection on ecosystem relations and becoming ecologically active rather than anthropocentrically passive.
Aside from their work as an artist, Helen works to connect the arts to regenerative farming 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. Additionally, Helen is Speaker for the Living at the Zoöp for Leven met het Land at the regenerative estate de Kleverbergh.
Contact
weereshelen@gmail.com
Art studio
‘t Kunstnest
Wolfhoeksestraat 3A
6662PH Elst
Instagram
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 collaboration
Collectives
De Klimaatdichters (2024 – heden)
MensenZeggenDingen (2019 – heden)
PISSWIFE (2017 – 2020)
Interdisciplinair collectief Mot. (2018 – 2020)
Publications
2024 – The Low Countries – Online publication of the poem ‘Blaffende honden’, translated to English by Laura Vroomen, and link to audiopoem
2024 – deBuren – Online publication of poem ‘Blaffende honden’ and link to audiopoem
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 – 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 – Poetry and prose
Habitat
Arnhem (1996 – heden)
Amsterdam (2014 – heden)
Berg en Dal (2022 – heden)
Buurtschap Reeth (2024 – heden)