Bones Tan Jones’ Back to Earth commission is dedicated to Fertile Souls, a survival skills-sharing collective founded in 2019 which seeks to queer the idea of what survival could look like to a community of people of colour, queer folks and beings who exist beyond the boundaries of society.
Join Fertile Souls and Bones Tan Jones for a herbal workshop, where they will be making anti-pollution balms. Living in the city we are exposed to many harmful toxins, which can be bad for our skin and overall health. In this workshop we will discuss and explore local and seasonal herbs, many of which you can find on a local city ramble, and their uses and benefits in cleansing toxins. Tan Jones will then create a herbal balm with these herbs, one for participants to use, and a batch to gift back into the Fertile Souls Medicine share cabinet; a community medicine apothecary which is shared with folks who are less able to access herbal care. The recipe is meant to be easily shareable, so you can pass it on to others, who will benefit from the balm magic.
Through workshops such as sound healing, astrology, body healing rituals, instrument-making, vocal resonance, herbal medicine, and more, Fertile Souls shares ways in which we can take healing into our own hands and nurture ourselves within the ever-more dystopian landscape.
Presented in collaboration with Queercircle.
- Artist biography
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Bones Tan Jones is a London-based artist. Their practice is rooted in the desire for an alternative, queer, optimistic dystopia. Bones works through ritual and meditative craft to engage with nature, and create narratives that encourage audiences to think more sustainably and ethically. Recent commissions include the Shanghai Biennale (2021), the Athens Biennale (2021) and Serpentine (2019).
Essential Information
Please be aware that some substances in use during the workshop may cause allergic reactions. Please ensure you wear protective equipment provided if needed and that you consult our guidelines before reserving your place.
- Guidelines
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Substances in use are:
Shea butter
Cocoa butter
Olive wax
Jojoba oil
Cinnamon essential oil
Amla essential oil
Ginger essential oil
Peppermint essential oil
Oregano essential oil
Lungwort
Elecampane
Plantain leafSymptoms of an allergic reaction can include:
a runny nose or sneezing
pain or tenderness around your cheeks, eyes or forehead
coughing, wheezing or breathlessness
itchy skin or a raised rash (hives)
diarrhoea
feeling or being sick
swollen eyes, lips, mouth or throatInform a member of staff immediately if:
you get a skin rash that may include itchy, red, swollen, blistered or peeling skin
you’re wheezing
you get tightness in the chest or throat
you have trouble breathing or talking
your mouth, face, lips, tongue or throat start swelling
