Vultures & Fireflies: Storytelling Night

Alejandro Galván, Rio de la Compañía Mateo 14:22-33 (detail), 2022
Photo: Neeltje de Vries

Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a series of special events held on the 25th of every month. On March 25, Marres will be hosting a storytelling night surrounding the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by the Mexican artist Alejandro Galván.

Alejandro paints large-scale works, drawing from a vast range of sources and materials to create a hyper-detailed chronicle of his barrio, Nezahualcóyotl. In what he calls a vivid dream of Mexican society, he seeks to address the deep injustices and widespread corruption that shape everyday life while bringing unheard stories into the grand narrative of history—ensuring they are not forgotten. His work challenges the notion that he and his fellow residents of Nezahualcóyotl are marginalized or invisible; rather, they belong to a community whose story has yet to be told. And that story, at its core, resonates far beyond Nezahualcóyotl, echoing the experiences of people from other countries, cities, villages, and even different eras. Galván paints because he refuses to let these stories disappear.

With this in mind, we invite you to gather around a campfire in Marres’ intimate city garden and share your own story—stories that should not be lost. Fact or fiction, it doesn’t matter, as long as they help connect people through oral history. They may even be told in different languages, celebrating the richness of diverse voices and perspectives.

Date:

Tuesday 25 March

Time:

19:00-21:00

Location:

Marres
Capucijnenstraat 98, Maastricht 

Read more about Alejandro Galván’s ‘Vultures & Fireflies’

25 years of Marres – Volunteer gathering

Photo: Rob van Hoorn

To give our dear volunteers some extra recognition, this month’s 25th celebration was all about them!

Volunteer Thuur and floor manager Tineke planted a walnut tree in the Marres city garden. With fruit from the garden snacks were be prepared to accompany the gathering.

25 years of Marres program

The Secluded Garden workshop

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Marres, marked on the 25th of each month, an extra garden workshop will be organized for November 25.

Workshop: The Secluded Garden

With Hans Engelbrecht

In the urban garden at Marres, the shift from fall to winter is unfolding. We often see this as a process of fading: leaves change color and fall, plants wither, birds migrate, and other animals begin their hibernation. But much more is happening. Gardener Hans Engelbrecht will highlight the processes occurring during this period and discuss the unique plants and animals found in the garden and on its historic walls.

Bundle up and explore Marres’ winter garden with a nice hot chocolate afterwards. We look forward to welcoming you!

Time:

The workshop will be held at two different times:
11:00AM – 1:00PM
2:00PM – 4:00PM

Location:

Marres Urban Garden, please check in at the reception

Tickets:

€5,00
Tickets are no longer available

Be quick! Each workshop has a maximum of 15 participants.* The workshops will take place in all weather conditions, so please dress accordingly and wear appropriate footwear! Questions? Mail to receptie@marres.org

Photo: Gert Jan van Rooij

Hans Engelbrecht 

Hans Engelbrecht is an ecological gardener and owner of the company De Groene Stap. His aesthetic approach to landscaping intricately weaves cultural history, ecology, and the local environment. This forges a relationship between gardens and their surrounding environments, giving prominence to nature and natural processes. In Maastricht, he has developed projects such as the city garden of Marres, Sphinxpark, and “De tuin der barmhartigheid” (Garden of Mercy).

degroenestap.nl
Photo: Rob van Hoorn

Podcast

In this episode, you can listen to a (Dutch) interview by Petra Quadvlieg with Hans Engelbrecht, who is responsible for the development of the Marres city garden.

Hans Engelbrecht is an ecological gardener and developer of the Marres garden. Petra Quadvlieg is a journalist and writer. She recently published the book “Je hond eet je niet op” (“Your dog won’t eat you”).

Friday Night Opening & Octoberfest!

Beer tasting at Marres during the Friday Night Opening. Help us choose a flavor for our own beer. We’re organizing a special beer tasting with bites by Marres Kitchen. Your opinion matters! For the 25th anniversary, we’re reviving the beer that has been brewed by the Marres family for generations. Which flavor will you choose?

Marres is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a series of events, taking place on the 25th of every month. Visit the exhibition Currents 11: The Turn of Many Suns as part of your cultural Friday night out. Featuring work by recent graduates, curated by a team of emerging curators.

On Friday, October 25th
Open 12:00AM-9:00 PM
Free admission starting from 5:00 PM
tasting starts at 5:30 PM

Bring your friends! Let us know if you’re coming via reservations@marres.org.

Foto: Gert Jan van Rooij