BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:adamgibbons/ics METHOD:PUBLISH X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VEVENT UID:23858@offbeat.amsterdam SUMMARY:Wild Hedges: Waste/lands DTSTAMP:20260615T230422Z DTSTART:20260624T173000Z DTEND:20260624T190000Z DESCRIPTION:In conversation with Amsterdam Green Vision 2050\, Wild Hedges: Waste/lands turns\ntowards the plants growing in the cracks of Amsterdam’ s Oosterdok. Through a\nsite-specific textile installation\, Al-Wah’at Col lective traces how so-called\n“invasive” species and urban ecologies are s haped by histories of colonial\ntrade\, classification\, and control.\nThe opening is followed by a panel conversation on the language around\nwaste lands\, the politics of green planning and counter-cartography practices.\ n\n\nFREE ENTRANCE – RSVP\n[https://mediamatic.stager.co/shop/default/even ts/111663653]\n\n\nABOUT THE PROJECT\n\nAl-Wah'at Collective الواحات\n[htt ps://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/392787/al-wah-at-collective-%D8%A7%D9%84%D 9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA]\n\nFormed by Ailo Ribas\, Gabriella Demczuk\ , and Areej Ashhab in 2022\, Al-Wah’at is\nan artist-research collective c ommitted to growing communal practices of care\nand repair in ecologies la belled “wastelands”. Their work seeks to counter\ncolonial and anthropocen tric narratives around arid lands and invasive species\nby engaging with a diversity of knowledge\, be they local\, folk\, scientific\, or\nmore-tha n-human\, to promote a deeper understanding of these ecologies\,\nespecial ly in light of climate change.\nTheir project Wild Hedges investigates the ecological and socio-political\ncomplexities of the prickly pear cactus a nd cochineal insect across multiple\ngeographies and temporalities\, inclu ding Palestine\, Mexico\, and Spain.\nAddressing colonial practices that p erpetuate cycles of harm within human and\nmore-than-human communities\, W ild Hedges delves into the material possibilities\nof the cactus and the c ochineal in weaving\, dyeing\, printing\, and cooking\, using\nmythology a nd rituals to reaffirm entanglement with the land amid enclosure and\ndisp ossession.\n\nAt Mediamatic\, Wild Hedges 2.0 addresses urban repair throu gh more-than-human\ngrowth within the city’s fractures. In conversation wi th Amsterdam's Green\nVision 2050\, this five-meter textile installation e ngages so-called "invasive"\nspecies not as targets for eradication\, but as a “wild hedge”: entangled\,\nadaptive growth rooting in disturbed soils amid a changing environment. Plants\nthriving in the concrete cracks of c anal docks\, along train tracks\, and on\nabandoned plots in the Oosterdok —an area shaped by the colonial botanical trade\nof the Dutch East India C ompany—are collectively eco-printed\, their pigments\npounded directly int o the fabric.\n\nAn embroidery layer is then woven through these prints wi th threads dyed from\nthe same plants\, utilizing small blocks of darning— a needle-weaving technique\npracticed by young Dutch women in the 17th and 18th centuries as part of\nlearning textile repair. Following the organic logic of the eco-prints\,\nembroidered warp threads act as bleeds extendi ng the plant stains\, while new\nblock patterns are woven into these struc tures\, emerging through and alongside\nthe more-than-human growth rather than replacing it.\n\nEnlarge\n[https://www.mediamatic.net/image/2025/11/2 7/unknown_768x0.jpg%28%29%280BB3B25144ED78EC4B358574E4D49656%29.jpg]\nhttp s://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/392788/al-wah-at-collective-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9 %88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA-group-photo\n\nAl-Wah'at Collective الواحات gr oup photo - credits: Al-Wah'at\n[https://www.mediamatic.net/image/2025/11/ 27/unknown_768x0.jpg%28%29%280BB3B25144ED78EC4B358574E4D49656%29.jpg]\n\nW ith: Al-Wah'at Collective الواحات\n[https://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/392 787/al-wah-at-collective-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA]\n\n\n \n\nEXHIBITION OPENING & PANEL TALK\n\nThe opening of Wild Hedges 2.0 will be followed by a panel conversation on urban\necologies\, maintenance\, w ater\, and the politics of green planning.\n\nWith contributions from Lind a Kopitz\, Alaa Abu Asaad and Ameneh Solati the\nconversation will conside r how cities imagine ecological futures\, and what forms\nof life already grow within their cracks.\n\nPanel participants\n\nLinda Kopitz [http://li ndakopitz.com/] is a researcher at VU Amsterdam who wrote\nabout care and maintenance in urban spaces\, specifically challenging Amsterdam’s\n2050 g reen vision. We want to invite her because her work directly addresses how \ntop-down green plans often overlook existing\, present ecologies.\n\nAla a Abu Asaad [https://alaaabuasad.com/about] is an artist whose work engage s\nwith feral life forms\, ecological language\, and contested forms of be longing.\nHis project The Dog Chased Its Tail to Bite It Off\n[https://www .mediamatic.net/en/page/387774/the-dog-chased-its-tail-to-bite-it-off]\nof fers a point of departure for discussing the politics of so-called “invasi ve”\nspecies.\n\nAmeneh Solati [https://www.instagram.com/amna_solati/] is a research-based\nartist and architect whose practice investigates the sp atial manifestations of\npower and resistance. She leads a design studio a t Design Academy Eindhoven and\nis an editor-at-large at Failed Architectu re.\n\nAl-Wah'at Collective الواحات\n[https://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/3 92787/al-wah-at-collective-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA]\nar tist-research collective committed to growing communal practices of care a nd\nrepair in ecologies labelled “wastelands”.\n\nEnlarge\n[https://www.me diamatic.net/image/2026/6/8/dsc05952.jpg%28%29%280F13F045968E7D0185DA8CD87 3122C03%29.jpg]\nhttps://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/393436/wild-hedges-res earch-presentation-during-habits\n\nWild Hedges research presentation duri ng HABITS -\n[https://www.mediamatic.net/image/2026/6/8/dsc05952.jpg%28%29 %280F13F045968E7D0185DA8CD873122C03%29.jpg]\n\n\n\n\nVISITOR INFORMATION\n \nDate: Wednesday June 24th Time: 19:30 - 21:00 Language: English Location : Barn\,\nMediamatic Free Entrance – RSVP here\n[https://www.mediamatic.ne t/Free%20Entrance%20%E2%80%93%20RSVP]\n\nProgram:\n\n19:15 - 19:30 Doors o pen and welcome drink 19:30 - 21:00 Presentation & panel\ntalk\n\nFor ques tions\, please send an email to program@mediamatic.nl\n[workshop@mediamati c.nl].\n\nAccessibility\n\nIf you have any questions about the accessibili ty of this event\, please get in\ntouch with mail@mediamatic.nl [workshop@ mediamatic.nl] URL:https://offbeat.amsterdam/event/wild-hedges-wastelands GEO:52.3765012;4.9132763 LOCATION:Mediamatic - Dijksgracht 6\, 1019 BS Amsterdam STATUS:CONFIRMED CATEGORIES:amsterdam-centrum,community,eastern docklands,ecology,exhibition ,opening,plants,repair,talk X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

In conversation with Amsterdam Green Vi sion 2050, Wild Hedges: Waste/lands turns towards the plants growing in th e cracks of Amsterdam’s Oosterdok. Through a site-specific textile install ation, Al-Wah’at Collective traces how so-called “invasive” species and ur ban ecologies are shaped by histories of colonial trade, classification, a nd control.
The opening is followed by a panel conversation on the language around wastelands, the politics of green planning and counte r-cartography practices.

Free Entrance – RSVP< /h3>

About the project

Al-Wah'at Collective الواحات

Formed by Ail o Ribas, Gabriella Demczuk, and Areej Ashhab in 2022, Al-Wah’at is an arti st-research collective committed to growing communal practices of care and repair in ecologies labelled “wastelands”. Their work seeks to counter co lonial and anthropocentric narratives around arid lands and invasive speci es by engaging with a diversity of knowledge, be they local, folk, scienti fic, or more-than-human, to promote a deeper understanding of these ecolog ies, especially in light of climate change.
Their project Wild Hedg es investigates the ecological and socio-political complexities of th e prickly pear cactus and cochineal insect across multiple geographies and temporalities, including Palestine, Mexico, and Spain. Addressing colonia l practices that perpetuate cycles of harm within human and more-than-huma n communities, Wild Hedges delves into the material possibilities of the c actus and the cochineal in weaving, dyeing, printing, and cooking, using m ythology and rituals to reaffirm entanglement with the land amid enclosure and dispossession.

At Mediamatic, Wild Hedges 2.0 addresses urban repair through more-than-human growth w ithin the city’s fractures. In conversation with Amsterdam's Green Vision 2050, this five-meter textile installation engages so-called "invasive" sp ecies not as targets for eradication, but as a “wild hedge”: entangled, ad aptive growth rooting in disturbed soils amid a changing environment. Plan ts thriving in the concrete cracks of canal docks, along train tracks, and on abandoned plots in the Oosterdok—an area shaped by the colonial botani cal trade of the Dutch East India Company—are collectively eco-printed, th eir pigments pounded directly into the fabric.

An embroidery layer is then woven through these prints with threads dyed from the same plants, utilizing small blocks of darning—a needle-weaving technique practiced by young Dutch women in the 17th and 18th centuries as part of learning text ile repair. Following the organic logic of the eco-prints, embroidered war p threads act as bleeds extending the plant stains, while new block patter ns are woven into these structures, emerging through and alongside the mor e-than-human growth rather than replacing it.

Enlarge

Al-Wah'at Collective الواحات group photo - credits: Al-Wah'at

With: Al-Wah'at Collective ال واحات

Exhibition opening & panel talk

The o pening of Wild Hedges 2.0 will be followed by a panel conversatio n on urban ecologies, maintenance, water, and the politics of green planni ng.

With contributions from Linda Kopitz, Alaa Abu Asaad and Ameneh Solati the conversation will consider how cities imagine ecological futur es, and what forms of life already grow within their cracks.

Panel participants

Linda Kopitz is a researcher at VU Amst erdam who wrote about care and maintenance in urban spaces, specifically c hallenging Amsterdam’s 2050 green vision. We want to invite her because he r work directly addresses how top-down green plans often overlook existing , present ecologies.

Alaa Abu Asaad is an artist whose work enga ges with feral life forms, ecological language, and contested forms of bel onging. His project The Dog Chased Its Tail to Bite I t Off offers a point of departure for discussing the politics of so-called “invasive” species.

Ameneh Solati is a resear ch-based artist and architect whose practice investigates the spatial mani festations of power and resistance. She leads a design studio at Design Ac ademy Eindhoven and is an editor-at-large at Failed Architecture.

< a href="https://www.mediamatic.net/en/page/392787/al-wah-at-collective-%D8 %A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%AD%D8%A7%D8%AA">Al-Wah'at Collective الوا حات artist-research collective committed to growing communal practices of care and repair in ecologies labelled “wastelands”.

Enlarge

Wild Hedges resea rch presentation during HABITS -

Visitor Informatio n

Date: Wednesday June 24th Time: 19:30 - 21:00 Language: English Loc ation: Barn, Mediamatic Free Entrance – RSVP here

Program:

19:15 - 19:30 Doors open and welcome drink 19: 30 - 21:00 Presentation & panel talk

For questions, please send an email to program@mediamatic.nl .

Accessibility

If you have any questions a bout the accessibility of this event, please get in touch with mail@mediamatic.nl

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