The second public moment of this research thread will focus on (mostly Western) herbalism—the rootstock of what we now call conventional medicine. For this event we invite the Garage School of Medicine.

With them, participants will explore collective, social and situated approaches to health and healing. During the session we will discuss the conception of the (sick) body through Western Medicine: as dissected from (social, ecological, microbial, economic) context. How can we apply ‘radical’ (as in ‘from the root’) approaches to health and healing? Through the practices of radical herbalists and critical caregivers we will explore concepts of ‘deep medicine’; and what it can mean to reframe care as rooted, political, conscious and communal?

We will read together for a bit, and then prepare together two remedies: a calendula balm and a fire cider (great for the cold season).

If you’re interested in joining, please send an email to info@varia.zone with the topic [self-medicated practices], so that we know how many people to include for lunch. As a way to introduce yourself during the session please bring a home remedy (a salve, a method, a soup, a vegetable, a drink) from your own context (place/family/culture). For example: a herb, a spice, a fruit or vegetable, a pill etc. If you do not have a home remedy in mind it could also be a significant/symbolic herb to you for another reason.

Self-Medicated Practices is a research thread developed by Yoana Buzova and Alice Strete. Our interests stem from the desire to learn from our varied experiences and get new insights into the world of DIY healthcare, whether that means self-built devices or other forms of healing that exist outside or alongside the medical system.

BIO: The Garage School of Medicine (Kari Robertson and Santiago Pinyol) is an art education project that draws from, imagines and prefigures other conceptions of health and healing that are democratic, holistic, preventative, collective and hopeful. They learn/share skills from practices which support the social body, focusing on community care and addressing threats to collective resilience.

Date: Sunday, 9 November 2025
Start: 11:00h CET
Duration: +/- 4.5 hours with a small lunch break
Participation: Free (please register via: info@varia.zone) using [self-medicated practices] in the subject line.
Location: Varia, Gouwstraat 3 (3082 BA Rotterdam)

This project is supported by the Creative Industries Fund NL.