UMWELT Amstel Dialogues

Event Details:

Date: 23 August 2026, 16:00 – 18:00

Location: the Glass House

Led by: Floris Schönfeld, Jan Peter Oudenampsen and Esmé Hofman

Language: Dutch

Floris Schönfeld will give a lecture on his work UMWELT Amstel, in which he explores possible connections between various biological and technological entities in Amstelpark, and will discuss the concept of entanglement with ant expert Jan Peter Oudenampsen and weaver Esmé Hofman, both of whom were closely involved in the creation of UMWELT Amstelpark.

About the artist:

Floris Schönfeld is a visual artist who currently lives and works in Amsterdam. In recent years, his work has focused primarily on the relationship between fiction and belief. He constantly explores the boundary between defining his context and being defined by it. In his work, he is interested in the perspectives of other living beings and investigates our human capacity to get close to the experiences of others. Read more here.

About Jan Peter Oudenampsen:

Jan Peter Oudenampsen works with the online webshop Ant Kingdom to promote keeping ants as pets. Addiitonally, he gives workshops at schools and companies to educate others on ant networks. Finally, he is affiliated with the MWG (the Ant Working Group) which dedicated itself to researching and maintaining the welfare of ants in the Netherlands.

About Esmé Hofman:

Esmé Hofman is a traditional basketmaker who originally learned her craft in German basketry school. While her techniques and materials vary from traditional to contemporary, she specializes in skeinwork. Additionally, she works as a curator and knowledge coordinator at the National Basketry Museum Noordwolde. Read more here.