i.c.w. Red Light Arts & Culture
In the 46th edition of our unique morning series, we welcome poet Freek Wallagh and cellist Chieko Donker. In Echoes of Eden, they explore the many faces of the neighbourhood around the Oude Kerk through poetry and music.
About Freek Wallagh
Freek Wallagh (1999) has been Amsterdam's new night mayor since this spring. He is a poet and activist. He started as a poet performing in squats, punk tents and at illegal parties. 'At night, Amsterdam is a different city. All those things you hardly see during the day, the excesses, the art, the dancing, how strangers suddenly interact very loosely with each other, the sense of community, all that only comes out when it's dark.' As night mayor, Wallagh wants to work for the night culture that is often overlooked: helping the squatter scene, showing solidarity with sex workers and giving young, experimental artists a stage.
About Chieko Donker Duyvis
Young up-and-coming cellist and singer Chieko Donker Duyvis idiosyncratically interweaves jazz improvisation, classical music, Brazilian grooves and her own compositions with the fairytale sounds of her cello and vocals. Donker Duyvis trained as a classical cellist. She has played concerts on numerous European and South American music stages with her trio and chamber music projects with musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra. Nowadays, she follows her own path through Brazilian music, jazz and free improvisation. In doing so, she regularly collaborates with poets, visual artists and dancers. Her ensemble includes musicians with roots in Brazil and Mexico, among others.