Developed during the Atelier AM residency (July-September 2022) in Almere Haven, Nefes Care is a multimedia installation made in collaboration with Mira Thompson, Anna Raiola and with the mentorship of Victoria McKenzie. The installation consists of photography, prints & objects, video, textile and a publication.
Nefes Care explores pathways for the transformation of carceral society into a care-based one, sourced from intimate experiences of care constellations. With disability justice as the main framework, the process was anchored in accessible production of art; a departure from the fast-paced hyper-able-bodied demands of the cultural production. Taking the needed time, prioritizing well-being, centering pleasure, extending care, love, support, encouragement, inspiration and holding evolving/growing possibilities.
The work was presented to public on 31st August 2022, taking place at De Kwekerij of Corrosia Theater in Almere Haven.
Public presentation of Nefes Care on 31st August 2022, De Kwekerij, Corrosia Theater.

Mayıs Rukel and Anna Raiola at the Atelier AM workspace.

Mayıs Rukel and Anna Raiola began their explorations by holding injury points; their own and each other's.

Mayıs Rukel and Anna Raiola documented the process of creating the hands choreography for the performance To get from one place to another.
Foraging and the bundle-dye for the care-map tablecloth was done in collaboration with Jules Davis-Dufayard.
Mayıs Rukel and Anna Raiola practicing methods offered by Victoria McKenzie.

Reflections on body parts.
Mayıs Rukel curated objects and image collections thrifted from the second hand stores in Almere.
Credits, Lineage, Inspiration, Riverbeds
★ Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha. I found this text while researching Leah’s work, whom I first encountered on Pleasure Activism: The Politics of Feeling Good by adrienne maree brown.
★ A Choreographer’s Handbook, Jonathan Burrows. This text was recommended to me by Camille Barton during the development of my performance A Hand in C Major.
★ Rehearsals for Living, Leanne Betasamosake Simpson and Robyn Maynard. Victoria McKenzie first mentioned this text to me in a loving email.
★ Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power, Audre Lorde. This text and Lorde came into my life in 2013 when I was 21, with I Am Your Sister: Collected and Unpublished Writings of Audre Lorde, suggested by my friend Jessica Johnson.
★ Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings, Joy Harjo. Joy’s work came into my life after I saw an Instagram post with her poem For Earth’s Grandsons featured in it.
★ The Politics of Trauma, Staci K. Haines. Recommended by Camille Barton as part of the Ecologies of Transformation readings.
★ Ecologies of Transformation, the master’s I am currently doing at the Sandberg Institute, curated and led by Camille Barton.
★ Resilience Toolkit (of Nkem Ndefo / Lumos Transforms, conveyed to me by Char Azad) and Trauma Informed Principles (Lumos Transforms) conveyed to me by Camille Barton.
★ Journey in Satchidananda, 1971 album by Alice Coltrane, offered to me as part of a practice by Victoria McKenzie for the Atelier AM process.
★ Marc Mullenders from Corrosia Theater & Film Expo set up the screen, sound mixer, microphones and speakers for our project.
★ Desirée, Yasmin and Roos from Corrosia Theater & Film Expo assist our questions and needs generously.
★ Atelier AM: Vere van Hal, Tomas Heller, Christie Bakker, holding the residency process with care.
★ Eline, hosting Mayis in her home on Friday nights in Almere, sharing herbal infusions and stories of healing. 💙💙
★ The spider that was making a web above my window, I was watching it and I heard “The web is the spider.”
★ Collage works of Isa Genzken.
★ My dear collaborators, Anna Rarich and Mira Thompson, for their brilliance, time, energy, generosity & kindness.
★ My mentor, friend, my cousin of the snake, cousin of the sun, dearest Victoria McKenzie.
★ My Virgo heartfriend Jules Davis Dufayard, for the wonderful day we spent foraging around Corrosia.
★ People of Corrosia Café for their help and patience.
★ Leon Dijkstra for sharing his precious company with me in Almere, practicing Duolingo on my work desk, and for the picnic we had on the grass nearby.
Mayıs Rukel
August 2022
