de lange adem
community, creative workspace, non-profit event hub for the arts, cultural initiatives, healing and connectionthe place I call studio & home is the former midwife school (Rijkskweekschool voor Vroedvrouwen) in the Eastern part of Amsterdam. We live here with around 65 people, a colourful blend of former squatters, artists, light & social workers, yogi's, musicians and other beings (like my Bengal cat Mukti and snake Pablo).
around 41.000 babies were born in this building and I think that's rather cool. It literally feels like living in a womb. The Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (Hospital of Our Lady, devoted to our beloved Holy Mother) and chapel are situated across the street. Looking out of my window, I often watch the hearses leave the left wing of the building, while being aware of woman giving birth in the right wing. It gives me a sense of perspective.
in our basement we share a wood and metal workshop and we have a ceramic studio in the making. The courtyard is our communal garden that I am currently replanting together with fellow inhabitants. Imagine lots of flowers, medicinal herbs and magical trees like Elder and Hawthorn - recreating Eden on our doorstep.
underneath my studio is het Zaaltje, our communal event space formerly known as filmhuis (arthouse cinema) De Lange Adem. It is a non-profit hub for the arts (home of art platform MUTTER), cultural initiatives, healing and connection. A place for residents and external parties to organise all sorts of gatherings, classes, exhibitions and performances. We host visual art, yoga, chi kung, poetry, live music, clothing swaps, singing circles, dancing, film screenings, body work, book presentations, discussions and anything else me and my neighbours dream of.
I take care of the agenda, keys, the art of holding space and regularly organise lectures and gatherings ~ please feel free to get in touch if you resonate and would like to share your gift at De Lange Adem.
more soon!
Ruyschstraat 295
1091 DX Amsterdam
The Netherlands
