Only our body provides us with means to express or to resist. And it is the body we use as an instrument, the place where we locate our thoughts and our emotions. Yet the culture in which we live, to large extent, determines the conception and management, descriptions and experience of our bodies.

Among many interesting thing I discovered while learning Dutch language, none was was more fascinating than learning that the verb bevallen, means both "to give birth' and to " to please." Een bevalling die bevalt is, literally, "a birth that please,' or translated more fluently " a pleasing birth"

I wanted my current work (a work in progress) to be rooted in the body, in the flesh yet able to express what can only remain unvoiced, unspoken in the body. I believe cultural norms are inscribed in our bodies - what the body reveals about the culture it inhabits - in this case what a birthing body reveals forms the leitmotiv of my works in project 'the pleasing birth'.

In this weeks residency I saw the opportunity to start working on a long cherished plan of having conversations with women who have given birth and have chosen to give birth at home or have experienced the birth giving situations. Who have experienced their bodies in the most visceral ways? Who, having come to the Nederlands from different part of worlds, with different body and maternity care norms have adopted the very Dutch 'bevalling'.

The work is based on the most inspiring, disturbing, emotionally charged, poetic conversations I have had with few such women during this week. Nandini Bedi comes form India and has 2 boys who are twins. Djahan Manuela Mazhari Perez comes from Colombia with Persian, French background and has three daughters. Also I spoke extensively to Anouk van der Stam a midwife "verloskundige" who has extensive experience as midwife in the Nederlands but also in India, Liberia and Pakistan.

In birthing terms this project is still in a very early stage - a work in progress. The final conception will happen somewhere in the near future. If you would be interested, or would know someone who be interested in sharing her /his stories with me please do leave me your contact details.