POST Nijmegen
ECHO
ECHO | Claiming the City: A Squatters' Allegory
Wednesday 9 September
20:00 - 22:00, walk-in from 19:30
POST - NIJMEGEN: Van Oldenbarneveltstraat 63A
Language: Dutch
Regular Fee: €5 –, includes one beverage
Students: €2,50, includes one beverage
Get your ticket here
Squatting is of societal, social, and cultural importance, but what does squatting mean to squatters themselves? And what insights do stories about squatting and the right to housing from the past offer for the future? On Wednesday evening, September 9, we’ll hear personal stories of squatting during ECHO, an in-depth evening event held in conjunction with Mirka Farabegoli’s solo exhibition Claiming the City: A Squatters’ Allegory.
This exhibition centers on Mirka’s personal experiences with communal living and the memories of others from the squatting movement. Through drawings, a meter-long mural, and graphic work, she weaves together testimonies, found archival material on the right to housing, and contemporary stories. She does this by connecting the everyday to broader social contexts through metaphors and symbolism.
In the recurring ECHO program, POST invites several speakers to reflect on the themes of the exhibition in question, drawing from their personal or professional experiences. Through these contributions, and yours as a visitor, the artworks take on a new layer of meaning.
In this edition of ECHO, Alide Roerink, Mirka Farabegoli, and members of local squatter collectives will share their thoughts on the exhibition’s themes. They have all been involved in the movement in their own ways and, through four stories about squatting, will share their perspectives on, and experiences with, squatting. The evening will be moderated by Kiki Kolman.
Mirka Farabegoli will take us through the stories and experiences that led to the creation of the works and the exhibition as a whole. Drawing on personal experiences and delving into specific works, she will add a new, deeper layer to the exhibition for visitors.
Alide Roerink is a former squatter and former voice of Radio Rataplan. Active primarily in the 1980s, this Nijmegen-based radio station gave a voice to local activists, squatters, and subcultures. Alide shares her stories and experiences not only as a squatter herself but also as part of the radio station, which is inextricably linked to Nijmegen’s history of squatting.
From the exhibition itself, to the past, to the present. An exhibition about the history of squatting isn’t complete without the addition of new stories about squatting today, and a look ahead. Members of local squatter collectives share their visions, experiences, and stories in their own unique ways.
The evening will conclude with a discussion among all contributors, bringing together the local context, the past, the present, and the future of the squatter movement.