A two-part program that centers the plant-ally Saint-John’s-Wort and the queer poetics it offers. Join artists Sasa Ghanem-Chaney, Jules Davis-Dufayard, and A.E.Z Pinay for an afternoon of queer collective care. In the evening there will be a special gathering with plant offerings, a sonic mediation, and a concert by Queer Choir Amsterdam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
earthly suns<\/em> is a multidisciplinary research project, developed by Jules Davis-Dufayard and Sasa Ghanem-Chaney, that departs from a shared love towards the plant Saint-John\u2019s-Wort, and a shared love for communal singing. Together they have embarked on a long-term research around this plant-ally since summer 2025, inspired by the queer poetics it offers as it grows powerful and unnoticed between Amsterdam’s pavements. They hope to develop land and body based seasonal practices which are relevant to the current context of late-stage racial capitalism, and which can contribute to the physical, emotional and spiritual nourishment of current social change movements. This research takes form through herbalism, storytelling, trauma-informed care practices, and vocal somatics (Deep Listening). The earthly suns<\/em> workshop and gathering emerge from their research and collective practices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Programme<\/strong> Workshop<\/strong> The workshop is followed by a simple dinner, between 18:00 and 19:00, prepared by maria khatchadourian (only for workshop participants). After the dinner an event will follow with a large scale collective sonic meditation, and a concert by Queer Choir Amsterdam. Separate tickets are available for the evening programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The workshop ticket includes the possibility to stay for the evening programme. You can note your participation when you purchase your ticket. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Evening programme<\/strong> Ticket workshop: \u20ac20 Ticket evening programme: \u20ac7,50 <\/font><\/font> Buy your ticket via the <\/font><\/font>Eventbrite page<\/font><\/font><\/a>.<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sasa Ghanem-Chaney<\/strong> (French-Algerian, 1993) is an artist, performer, director and facilitator based in Amsterdam since 2017. They work with worldbuilding, interactive installations, collective processes, sound, performance and herbalism. Their practice questions the politics of history-making. What are the invisible frameworks at play in the decision of archiving? Which lores subsist to shape our contemporary perspectives? How can we slow down and listen to the unsung echoes of voices past? Through speculative storytelling, performance, immersive spaces and collective practices, Sasa Ghanem-Chaney questions the making of stories and our political role in the remembrance of minoritized voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website Sasa Ghanem-Chaney<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Jules Davis-Dufayard (France, 1991)<\/strong> is an artist\/facilitator, and an apprentice of somatics and transformative justice, currently living in a white trans crip\/disabled body. They facilitate experiences with\/in nature to create internal and collective space for growth and transformation, nurturing healing ways to relate to ourselves, each other, and the webs of relations we are embedded in. At the moment, Jules is fascinated by crip and gut wisdoms, and by practices of herbalism, foraging and eating as everyday and embodied portals to remembering that \u201cthe earth isn\u2019t an extension of our bodies, it\u2019s the other way around\u201d (GTDF).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website Jules Davis-Dufayard<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Queer Choir of Amsterdam<\/strong> is an artistic initiative that promises the creation of a brave space to celebrate unique identities and voices. Through rehearsals and performances, they express their ideas for the futures they desire and the narratives they want to share. In the unification of their voices, they create harmonies, but also distinctively recognize the varied nature of the human voice and hone agency over their voices. Queer Choir also works a lot with soundscapes, improvisation and audience engagement. QC has performed in many venues and events, such as the Oude Kerk, Holland Festival, Buro Stedelijk, Vrankrijk, and the Antwerp Queer Arts Festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Website Queer Choir of Amsterdam<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n A.E.Z. Pinay<\/strong> (he\/they) is a queer afropean artist, a film maker, and a performer. A part of his work and research revolves around the black ethos in France and the Afrodiasporic experience in its poetic, political and spiritual expression. Mourning, melancholy, and absurdity are elements that inhabit his creations. Another part of his practice is to cultivate his ability to exist outside of marketing values and learn from forest ecologies. This translates as activities such as resting, doing nothing, lying down in the grass, pray, mourn, cry, observe the living and to open oneself to the possibilities of different worldings. He currently studies and works in Amsterdam and prepares the publication of his first essay with Editions Face cach\u00e9es.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instagram A.E.Z. Pinay<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Accessibility info Wheelchair access:<\/strong> W139 is spread over two floors. The workshop, dinner, and evening events will all happen on the ground floor, which is wheelchair accessible. Our toilets are located on the first floor, which can only be reached via stairs. The nearest wheelchair accessible public toilets can be found at Krasnapolsky Hotel, 150m away, at the start of the road (Dam Square). For other questions regarding the accessibility of the building, please contact info@w139.nl.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seating: <\/strong>There will be chairs, benches, or cushions available for everyone, as well as blankets. Feel free to bring your own blanket, stand, move around, and come in and out as your body needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sound:<\/strong> The event will be held in English. There will be no sound amplification for the workshop nor the concert. Audience members will be invited to join in on the singing for some parts of the concert, this is entirely optional. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Covid\/infection safety: <\/strong>We ask everyone to do a covid self-test before entering the event space. There will be self-tests and face-masks available for free\/on donation at the entrance of W139. Make sure not to consume food or drinks for 30min before testing, and to allow 15min for your test result to show. Mask wearing is encouraged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Negative results for such self-tests are unfortunately only ~75% reliable (whilst positive results are ~95% reliable), and all viruses are a risk for immunocompromised folks. Therefore, if you are experiencing any covid\/cold\/flu symptoms on the day of the event, we will be sorry to miss you, but ask that you stay home and join us at a later public event of the series. Please email margarita@w139.nl to cancel your booking so we can offer your spot to someone else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, the budget for this event doesn\u2019t allow for translation, sign language interpretation, or live image description. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This event is part of a series of three programs, which will each have slightly different accessibility. We hope you can join us again in the future. Please email julesdavisdufayard@gmail.com<\/a> with \u2018SJW mail list\u2019 in the email title to be kept informed about future events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Workshop: 14:00 \u2013 18:00
Gathering and performance programme: 20:00 \u2013 22:00<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Jules Davis-Dufayard and Sasa Ghanem-Chaney invite you for an afternoon of queer collective care centering the plant-ally Saint-John’s-Wort (SJW). During this workshop they will share knowledge around what SJW has to offer in terms of physical and mental healing, as well as take inspiration from its resilient growth through Amsterdam’s urban landscape. They will share tools from herbalism, plant symbolism, somatics, collective singing, and vocal meditation working towards community healing and care strategies. Special guest A.E.Z. Pinay will also intervene and invite the group into his grieving practice in the form of choral mourning. In his work he explores the rhythmicality of sobs and sighs, and the melody of moans and laments, as well as the seemingly impossible task to establish a framework that properly allows sorrow to flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Join us for an evening of queer joy centering the plant-ally Saint-John’s-Wort (SJW). Sasa and Jules will open the evening with an introduction to their research, offering Saint-John’s-Wort tea and oil for hand massage. The audience will be invited into a collective sonic meditation, followed by a concert by Queer Choir Amsterdam.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Student\/solidarity ticket: \u20ac15<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Student\/solidarity ticket: \u20ac5<\/font><\/font><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Herbal safety: C<\/strong>onsumption of Saint-John\u2019s Wort tea or massage oils during the evening is entirely optional. Saint-John\u2019s Wort is a powerful plant, and can weaken the effect of certain medications. Please read this one-page document before consuming Saint-John\u2019s Wort: side effects and contraindications<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n