An invitation by Margarida Mendes to engage with deep listening, opening our ears to the flows and ebbs of the river, guided by meditative scores that bring us to an embodied relationality with its fluxes and pulses.

Best appreciated in the company of a water body.

For this new episode of “Rewor(l)ding Conservation”, we invited curator, researcher and pedagogue Margarida Mendes to open up her sonic archives around the Tagus river in Portugal, unpacking her practice as a multidisciplinary researcher exploring how sound can be used not only to describe, but also to sense changing ecosystems.

Situating herself in the watery world of the Tagus wetland, and drawing from her PhD research “Sensorial Ecologies”, in this two-part episode we follow Mendes’ voice as she introduces her work around how sonic practices can be mobilised towards ecological and community reparation and conservation. Her storytelling offers an example of how listening can shape one’s understanding of the environment, mediated by sensing infrastructures, interspecies interactions, and the impacts of extractive industries.

The second part of the episode is an invitation to engage with deep listening, opening our ears to the flows and ebbs of the river, guided by meditative scores that bring us to an embodied relationality with its fluxes and pulses.

Watch the Enligh-subtitled version here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77zlFHkYbjA

This episode takes us to Dar Bellarj Foundation in the heart of Marrakech's medina, where a three-day exploration of DIY publishing, plants, and propagation workshop was led by artist and publisher Heiba Lamara.
Joined by the Gifted Mothers of Dar Bellarj, the workshop centered the liberating acts of zine-making and planting as tools for community connection and environmental awareness.

Listen in as the mothers read their heartfelt contributions to the collective zine created during the workshop and share sincere reflections about connection to land. Heiba Lamara offers insight into her interdisciplinary practice, weaving gardening and publishing into a vibrant methodology for collective storytelling and ecological care.

About Dar Bellarj
For over two decades, Dar Bellarj has been a cornerstone of cultural and intergenerational exchange in Marrakech. Rooted in its community, this vital foundation provides a space for creativity, learning, and connection. It has been a pivotal partner of our Harvest Festival, hosting and co-curating workshops, markets, concerts, and more since the very first edition.

About “How to Grow a Book”
A unique workshop/installation blending the spirit of a seed swap with the hands-on creativity of a print room that took place during Harvest Festival in May 2024.
Participants and visitor reflected on shared agri/cultures, exchanged plant knowledge, and participated in the creation of a communal publication.

About Heiba Lamara
An artist, gardener, and publisher, Heiba Lamara explores the intersections of zine-making, ecologies, and community storytelling. She is Assistant Editor of OOMK Zine and co-founder of Rabbits Road Press, bringing independent publishing practices to life across disciplines.