Queer Care Conversation #3
29 March 2025
7:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Conversation about spaces for queer migration, community, and care.
March is Queer History Month. In this context, we are organising the third edition of the Queer Care Conversations series on 29 March. The discussion will explore the development of historical and contemporary spaces and practices that queer (migrants) have created for co-creation, knowledge-sharing, and the exchange of care and emotional support. The conversation will focus on the challenges in the historical and contemporary development of spaces for queer migration, delving deeper into concepts such as co-creation and mutual exchange. How can we shift the migration debate from a focus on ‘needs’ to an approach centred on desire and reciprocity? And what role does aesthetics play in this project?
Migration, Care & Community organization
Researchers Fabian Holle and Mayalu Mesh will engage in conversation with Marianna van der Zwaag (curator, Oude Kerk) and Julia Visser (co-curator). The discussion will delve into the development of historical and contemporary networks of friendship and solidarity that queer (migrants) have established for knowledge-sharing, as well as medical and legal support. Additionally, the event will highlight new forms of care emerging from queer migration and how these enrich the Netherlands with fresh projects. To conclude the evening, performance artist Papilicious will take us on a journey of trust with a shibari performance in the Oude Kerk, accompanied by Kuntenserven on the harp.
About the speakers
Fabian Holle (Vrije Universiteit)
Fabian, a researcher and artist, co-founded LIMBO alongside queer refugee community organizers and artists. The initiative was created to offer a safer space for LGBTQIA+ individuals with refugee backgrounds to share their stories and art. On March 29, we’ll be diving deeper with Fabian into the idea of care, particularly in relation to queer migration, focusing on solidarity and co-creation. How do we create these spaces within the Dutch neoliberal context, and what role should cultural institutions and art initiatives play in this?
Mayalu Mesh
We’ll also be joined by Mayalu Mesh, a researcher, the founder of the Critical Himalaya Collective, and Freedom Tours Wageningen. Together, we’ll explore how 'care' is experienced, remembered, and redefined in the context of migration. Drawing from personal experiences as a queer individual, along with shared and (auto)ethnographic stories from their home region of Sikkim in the Eastern Himalayas, Mayalu finds inspiration in Chai traditions. These hold deep significance for how they experience care, as well as how they work to preserve traditions and local heritage in an urban setting.
Papilicious
Papilicious (he/him) is a Shibari rigger and performance artist. His approach to Shibari focuses on artistic expression, connection, and emotional intimacy, which sets his work apart from traditional Western BDSM practices. In his performances, Papilicious prioritises the aesthetic and sensory aspects of Shibari. He also founded Iridescent Studio, a space where people can explore Shibari and intimacy techniques, forming connections with like-minded individuals. On March 29, Papilicious will showcase a collaborative, equal, and emotionally safe experience with his partner.
Kuntenserven
Kuntenserven (Moritz Friedhofen) is a harpist who challenges traditional perceptions of the harp. Influenced by contemporary styles, they explore new ways of playing the instrument and its potential in different settings. Their performances aim to disrupt expectations, creating authentic moments of connection. On March 29, Moritz will be accompanying Papilicious in his performance at the Oude Kerk.
About Queer Care Conversations
For centuries, the Oude Kerk was a place where various forms of social care were organised. Charitable initiatives and religious orders dedicated to caring for the poor and orphans, for example, had their own chapels within the church. In this series on queer care, curator Julia Visser explores contemporary forms of care for and by the queer community, applying a critical lens to the concept of care itself.