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Spreading the Care

How to care in times of crises? 

A series of Spreading-the-care episodes. A collection and archive of small daily acts of care, daily care work out and care rituals.


We are a group who used to gather and talk about Care. How Care is stubborn, vulnerable, inter-dependent, structural, precarious and ambivalent. How Care is personal, political, engaged or reflective. With the outbreak of the Coronavirus and its consequences (isolation, fear, social inequalities, health complications, among others) talking about care, and reflecting on how-to-care became crucial (we do believe though that it is always a crucial matter)

These days we do not meet physically but invite you to follow, and join our various small/unexpected/personal/instantaneous/electrifying Care actions survival strategies/surrendering power/real life magics/movement/gestures

We chose to share for an unlimited amount of days as we believe we are all craving for continuity, persistence and hope more than for a one time temporary event. We chose as well to make this platform open for everyone to propose their care actions.

 

It is easy. You just have to check this blog.

Every other days someone will be sharing their care actions of the day. You just have to follow the instructions and join the action. 

Do it from wherever you are. 

Comment if you like. 

But most of all add your own care style into it. 

You can also always re-visit daily actions you already did.

If you want to send us reactions/care actions propositions/inputs you can reach us here: info[a]mohaproject.com

 

*This is not a final product, only the pilot of a growing movement, a moving archive, an ever changing practice in which we are all each other's learners*

 

Initiative led by Alice Pons, Olivia Reschofsky, Clement Brochard, Jesse van Epenhuijsen, Enno de Vos, Laura Fernandez Antolin, Sam Scheuermann, Julie Kurris, Pjotr Gonggrijp, born in the frame of 10x10 days Veem House for Performance. Carried on as an independent initiative.

What is Long Now Lab?

In the Long Now Lab a small group of people gather regularly for performances and work-and-think sessions at Veem House for Performance. We invite participants to go deeper: through conversation, imagination and workshops, with the aim of collectively creating ideas and proposals. This weekend was the last session and also the sharing with our audience. Due to the current situation, and because we care, we will transfer this sharing to an online sharing.

Who is MOHA?

 

MOHA is an Amsterdam-based artist collective who create performances, present workshops, devise publications, and propose alternative curatorial models. Operating outside conventional art institutions, we work in public spaces and with specific communities, aiming to shatter our personal bubbles and connecting with the day-to-day realities of people we might never otherwise encounter.

The Care list

of what we do, what we don't do, what we lack, what we receive

Care You do

You help people in the streets

You care until exhaustion and burn out

You make financial contributions to the homeless

You only buy second hand clothes - underwear asides

You drink coffee with neighbours

You refill the water and serve everyone at the table

You are being nice and polite to other people

You talk English to people who live in the Netherlands for a long time

You just hosted a not that close friend for 5 days in your room

You commit every Tuesday for several months to gather with a group that matters to you

You give random tips to strangers in life

You make life easier for transgenders

You offer details like plants, plant seeds, self-made ceramics or jewellery, food or traditional drinks to your loved ones when you haven’t seen them for a while or for special occasions

You take the time to explain to people what is going on

You try to be as available as you can for your homeless alcoholic friend even though it costs you energy

You remember details

You call your family every week

You write letters, postcards, you do phone calls to people you meet through your work

You ask people how they are

You pick up tasks that belong to others because in the end it just should be done

You take care of a cat who can be such a bitch sometimes

You send money to your father every month

You send audio messages to your friends

You visit a girl once a month who has not so many friends and you know she is lonely

You cut out all the plastic parts from the envelops so you can sort the garbage

You are not crossing red lights when there are kids around

You called your friend when her grandfather died

You visit your grandmother

You paint your grandma’s nails

You clean things in the house and you help with fixing stuff

You take care of your partner when he is ill

You buy products or services from small/medium local ethics business

You ride carefully on crossroads that are busy or lack visibility, or when it rains

You try to make your bed every day so you can come home to a clean bed

You try to change the law to fund the art scene

You give random morning wishes to your loved ones

You talk very long with your brother when he needs it

You take care of the baby of your friends

You wash your clothes

You call your relatives on their birthdays instead of a WhatsApp message

The responsibility that you have towards your friends is sometimes stronger than your own desire

You cut your friend’s hair

You support artists and facilitators practices

You give your place in transport to older people

You answer phone calls or emails

You clean your house

You give random, calm and beautiful morning and night wishes to your partner

You shower and brush your teeth

You are not putting people down

You shop second hand

You celebrate Christmas with your family

You give clothes to your friends

You make the effort to remember birthdays

You give a present to your friends

You separate your trash

You try to think positive also when you are not feeling like it

You make your own natural washing products

You wash the dishes at your friends’ place

You only buy second hand stuff in general, except new mattresses

You cook food for your family for Christmas

You remember the nice moments with your grandfather who passed away

You hosted two dancers who didn’t have a place to sleep

You don’t eat meat

You engage and propose solutions to people in challenging situations

You smile at people in the bus

You make home detergent with baking soda, Marseille soap, tea tree oil and lavender oil

You try to have food in your house that makes you feel warm and comfortable

You helped someone putting a suitcase on the train

You give food to your dog

You pick up papers/plastics on the streets

You invite your two friends who have a difficult time

You share food

You invite people sometimes although you don't have money

You use washable diapers for your son

And you use glass recipients to drink, also carry one to school or other meetings

Care you lack

When people don’t think with you although you clearly asked for help

When a friend cancels a meeting on you

When you were in Milan and you were lonely and people were not coming to ask you how you were

When people take the things you do for granted

When cops just hit without listening

When there is not a Global Basic Income

When people don't take time for you

When you don’t get dinner or dance nights-out invitations

When people think problems disappear if they don’t address them and keep smiling

When people only talk and are not interested in your point of view

When you don’t have time

When people are passive

When there is too many tourists

When people are not answering you while you always take the time for them

When your father never want to really hear about what you are studying

When your new friend is too busy these days

When your ex did not tell you at that time that (s)he was having an affair

When the government does not provide financial support

When your best friend never got back to you after several tries

When people are not answering for a long time

When people put their own problems on you. Like this waitress who makes you feel like shit

When people judge you behind your back

When there are no free border

When at work she abused your empathy a lot

When some people think you can endure everything

When your former boss takes away your entire product portfolio without a personal word to you

When people around you who fly often, eat meat, and consume a lot say that you are judgmental

When people are standing left and right in escalators

When abortion is still forbidden in some places

When people never apologies

When people just disappear without a word

When rude people drive dangerously in Spain

When rude people ride dangerously in Amsterdam

When people don’t take you seriously even though you do take them seriously

When you don't have a group you are clearly part of

When your friends don't invite you while it is difficult with your partner

When contraceptives are not available all over the planet

When your friend only calls you when she needs something

When there is too much renovation work in Amsterdam

When your local municipality does not allow for more underground club cultured events where you could go

When your ex did not care about your feelings in tough situations

When some places ask you to work for free so you can solve their audience problem

When there is too many empty insults and discord between political parties in Spain

When people don’t answer your email calling for help

When nationalities are still barriers and not a cultural diversity to be shared

When your first ever ex-partner replied a very mean email to you in response to a very sweet email you sent

When politicians or corporations so often go for short term profit

When at the end of the party you organised people were not grateful

When people don't do what they said they would and don't even bother telling you

When someone tagged your toilet during a party

When a far long ex used to scream at you and you said nothing because you were too young

When you are rejected

When there is not a city, or place to live without speculation

When there is not a reusable systems for groceries

When you felt sometimes that the work you did didn’t matter for the host institution

When your partner did not welcome you in a nice way after you came back from a heavy few days

When contraceptives are still not affordable

When people throw cigarettes on the floor

When an invitation never get an answer back

Care you don't do

You reject Facebook friends

You judge people you don’t know

You don’t care about Games of thrones

You eat meat sometimes

You never take care of your hair

You bite your lips

You don’t care if your wrapping gifts are messy

You don’t care if people look messy in the morning (or later too)

You don’t care enough about your health

You first think of what you need then of what someone else does

You don’t read enough

You do a lot of social media

You kiss the baby first and not him

You still buy groceries at the supermarket

 

You don’t care about looking corporate at work

You sometimes don’t pay because you are too “zuinig”

You said you would see a friend and you didn’t

You are lazy to do extra cleaning

You don’t get to know your neighbors

You don’t see your grandmother enough even though she asks you to visit her

You don’t care about some rain

You create the situation for your own benefit

You don’t call your father enough

You take the plane for middle distances in Europe, like Amsterdam-Madrid or Amsterdam-Prague

You still buy too much shit wrapped in plastic or that contains palm oil

You were supposed to pay back a man from a night shop and you never did it

You forget things

You eat everyone else’s food

You don’t care about curling

You don’t pick up the trash of the person who just dropped it

You don’t always listen to what your body tells you

You often talk a lot and you can be rude

You don’t read news

You often call your parents only when you need to ease your mind or troubles

You don’t visit a friend because transport is too expensive

You are not mindful of your glasses even though you need them

Sometimes you choose the easy road

You don’t involve yourself or put interest in your classmates or school projects

You weren't interested in politics for a long time and still have to push yourself

You could eat a bit less shit, smoke less, drink less or do more sport, but you don’t really

You have not called your sister for a long time

You should call your mother more

Sometimes you say you will do stuff and in the end you don’t do it

Sometimes you want to care more about things. Sometimes you want to stop caring

Sometimes you are too lazy to cook and you rely on your flatmates

Once you promised a guy you would call him back and instead you just disappeared

You still take the plane sometimes

You don’t learn Dutch

You are not involved in community work

You still eat in fast foods sometimes although it is against a lot of your principles

You don't really care if there are holes in your clothing

You ignore people crying in the train

You sometimes say no to people who come to you in the street even before knowing what they want to ask

You don't always respond to sexual offers

You don’t care sometimes about the other’s point of view

You don't care what people respond to your actions or statements

You don't share food

You threw away at the first Tuesday of the month the broken table and chair from the previous tenants

You don't answer if you don't know your plans yet

You are not cleaning your house often enough

You eat fish and you consume dairy products

You fly

You drive a car

You don't give money to rescue organisations

You don't do volunteer works

Care you receive

When your mother sends everyday a Buenos Dias message with a tacky image

When you can always call your partner

When last week the cashier let you off when you were 1 euro short for your groceries

When you are still healthy

When you sometimes lose it and someone you don't know in the street helps you

When you know few people in your life will always be there

When your neighbor guards your parcel when you are gone

When in bad times your friends listen to your long monologues and still come back for the next one

When your brother always invites you for a rum, a joint and mario smatch football even when he is tired

When your friends are present for you, supports you and listens to you

When someone hosts you and makes you a nice bed with clean sheets on it

When you went to Berlin to pick up your stuff from your ex’s place. Your friend hosted you, she gave money for the taxi and got drunk with you

When your partner travels in the middle of the week skipping class to attend and support you on your first workshop

When your dentist looks after your teeth

When your mother calls you to check how you are doing

When you are always welcome in your brother’s house

When your brother wanted to spend the new year with you because otherwise he knew you would be alone

When someone cooks for you when you need it

When your friend came home with you because you were scared

When your friend sent you a postcard

When your cat sleeps with you when you are there

When you can have sex with 3 girlfriends without a fuss

When you eat chocolate

When you got offered a studio space with the artist you did an internship with

When your friend always try to cheer you up when you are sad

When you get a lot of cards, little presents, flowers from people you meet through work

When your friend makes you a garlic shot from her magic recipe when you are sick

When people at your job helped you out big time when you couldn’t work because of depression

When your father always want to help and solve problems even when they don't exists and it's annoying

When you get hugs from friends

When your family keeps your room in their home as your endless shelter and storage

When the people with whom you worked at the cemetery came to your event

When the people from the Tuesday evening group come together each week

When you feel that people who invite your work really find it interesting and want to help

When your one close friend texts and calls you every day to know if you are alright or what you are doing

When your partner makes breakfast in the morning

When the bike maker helped you with your bike

When your partner drives you during the holidays because you are not an experienced driver

When you buy vegetables from the farmers

When you get random video calls from your friends now that we are all in quarantine

When you got a nice tip last week when someone said the food you made was tasty

When your partner covers your back with sunscreen and tells you when you are getting red

When people correct you on the words you use or on your grammar, helping you when you don't know the English word

When your boss only negative comment in your year review was that you wanted to do too much and that you should take care and he would help

When your partner drives and walks you to unknown beaches and forests

When your mother gives you food when you are home

When your father cleans your shoes every time you visit home

When people talk to you on the street

When your partner’s family teaches you French talking slowly and repeating for you

When your mother’s brother died and your father's nephews sent you lovely messages

When a secret donator donates each month money to your company

When your partner lets you do your work and takes care of your son

When your flatmates let you eat their food

When your ex used to bring you breakfast in bed

When people ask you how you are doing, what you think and what you like

When your roommate shares his food with you

When new friends propose collaborations on their practices

When you get drinks from friends even though you don't give them a drink or money

When you get clothes from your cousin that she does not wear anymore

When people congratulate you on your birthday

When you always had a ride while hitchhiking

When you could warm up at your neighbours place and also stay over at your dad while your heating was out

When a friend advised you for a great spa

When someone helped you taking your bike down from a high spot

When your psychologist tries to help

When people notice that you are too skinny

When your friends read your thesis to comment and support you

When your partner loves you

When some friends made you a wonderful surprise for your birthday

When the bus driver brings you here

When your friend make groceries for you as you felt sick

When you get a random - te quiero - message from your partner and your family

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