Foundation Above as Below presents: From T.I.N.A. to T.A.M.A.; A public academy for post-capitalist alternatives, a place where we learn together by doing, in an ever-expanding circle of experts, artists, and fellow city dwellers. A space for imagination, where we inspire and emancipate our audience to innovate.

That is to say: by letting go of the rhetoric of capitalism and making a mental shift towards thinking in various future alternatives: from 'There is no alternative' to 'There are many alternatives'. In a hybrid form of a program and a performance in one: A "pre-sentation" where fiction and reality merge.

Summaries of the first two phases and public manifestations:

Phase 1 - Exploring Amsterdam's post-capitalist alternatives aboard Rederij Lampedusa

During this boat tour, an audience of 35 people departed from Mediamatic (on the IJ) for a 1.5-hour tour through the canals and the Amstel. After a brief introduction, the audience listens to a 20-minute audio contemplation via silent disco headphones. As the center of Amsterdam passes us by, we are guided, like in a meditation, by priestess Tama to look at the city and ourselves through different eyes. The voice of Tina interrupts Tama’s story at moments with a polyphonic mantra of advertising slogans like "Just do it" and "Because you're worth it". The triple-played saxophone becomes a meditative mantra for what was and what can be.

TAMA:

We built this world, these systems
But what if our systems also built us?
Shaped us. Fed us.
Defined the way we see each other, the way we see ourselves,
How we love, and the way we live.
“Profit must exceed cost”
“Production must meet consumption”
Go go go grow grow grow
Keep going don’t stop, won’t stop, can’t stop
Progress doesn’t sleep, and neither do we.
We work, we produce, we consume… and this is the way it has to be.
Or does it?

(text audio contemplation Tama, boat tour Rederij Lampedusa, October 13, 2024)

Onboard are three experts, with whom, under the guidance of artistic director Mara van Nes, conversations are held about finding post-capitalist alternatives. Selçuk Balamir (designer, researcher, and organizer on post-capitalist design), David Theuvenet (business economist and founder of 7 Billion Presidents), Julia Beth Harris (poet and performer, often writing about decolonization and its intersection with capitalism and imperialism).

During this conversation, capitalism is defined as 'an extractive system with tireless adaptability'. A system that, in ever-changing forms, is as old as humanity itself but thrives in our current societies. Selcuk talks about the housing cooperative (De Nieuwe Meent in Amsterdam Oost) he set up and the research he does on infrastructures and how the ‘commoning’ practice plays a fundamental role in this. David explains how his start-up proposes a new business model for companies where, instead of capital-rich shareholders accumulating all the profit, local communities become shareholders. How ownership could look through steward-ownership forms and the importance of buying back land for communal use and interest. Julia-Beth listens attentively for a while and then summarizes. As a poet, she seeks new words and emphasizes how much our language influences our thinking and living.

The audience increasingly becomes part of the conversation. Questions are asked, and thoughts are shared. A palpable excitement arises. Some are inspired by the possibilities, others by disbelief that change is truly possible.

A woman in the audience, front left, agitatedly remarks that it is all impossible, that everything these experts suggest is hopeless. She doesn’t want to stop talking and is clearly emotional. Selcuk responds skillfully and emphasizes the importance of saying ‘yes’. That great changes always seem impossible at first but can be achieved by believing and building upon each other. What is needed, Julia-Beth concludes, is a space for imagination. And this is the essence of what ‘From T.I.N.A. to T.A.M.A.’ is about.

Finally, when the boat is back in the harbor, the audience is asked to write their inspiration/imagination for the future of the city on an AI-generated postcard (of post-capitalist Amsterdam). To take with them, remember, and share. In the hours that follow, a large part of the audience stays at Café Hannekes Boom, talking and discussing possible futures.

Phase 2 - Ceremonial farewell to capitalism (as the only alternative) in De Nieuwe Kerk

In phase two, we build further on phase 1. The location (and thus the form) changes, but the content sharpened by phase 1 remains the same; Opening the space for imagination to collectively become adept at thinking in post-capitalist alternatives.

We also became aware that the tomb of Michiel de Ruyter is in De Nieuwe Kerk. This added an extra dimension; Admiral De Ruyter, who opened overseas trade routes with his fleet. A symbol of Dutch pride in a past where colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism laid the foundation for the current geopolitical world order. The grand tomb of De Ruyter thus became the stage for our ceremonial farewell to this ideology (as the only alternative).

Poet and performer Julia Beth Harris, in collaboration with Mara van Nes, rewrote the text, this time performing it live from the podium. Accompanied by multi-instrumentalist Martijn van Ditshuizen, who live-sampled with three saxophones (Tenor, Alto, Soprano), flute, keyboards, and various smaller instruments. Now, the entire arc of the program is carried by this duo.

After Tama’s contemplation (by Julia Beth Harris), she opens the space for imagination by unrolling four red ribbons into the audience from the pulpit. Following this, the four invited speakers take the floor. They were asked beforehand to sketch, from their expertise, what the future of the city could look like post-capitalism.

TAMA:

When the system demands more
What does it cause you to ignore?
When we are constantly committed to outside economies
What space is left for inner autonomy?

(text contemplation priestess Tama, Nieuwe Kerk, November 23, 2024)

Melissa Koutouzis (founder of the housing protest and board member of the Amsterdam Tenants Network) speaks about housing. About the history of social housing and how this great achievement has been declining since the 1980s. A passionate plea full of knowledge and vision, ending with how the future of housing could look according to her if we no longer consider houses as capital but as community spaces.

David Theuvenet (founder of 7 Billion Presidents) and Nikita Bharat (embodied activist for a just future) sketch in dialogue a detailed future scenario based on the philosophy of the regenerative economy. A circular Amsterdam where the Kalverstraat is a place full of sewing machines recycling clothes, emphasizing how we need to look beyond capitalism in search of what serves the common good instead of individual gain.

Finally, Chautuileo Tranamil (decolonial thinker and indigenous rights activist) addresses the audience in an impactful way. She distributes the three sisters (seeds); corn, pumpkin, and beans. As the daughter of the Mapuche Pewenche (original inhabitants of Chile), she emphasizes the importance of indigenous peoples; they know what needs to be done now. They, who have barely survived after all the oppression and destruction, hold the keys to the future. She exposes the complexity of ‘restorative justice’; The end of capitalism is not the only answer, everything that has been dispossessed, destroyed, and stolen must be restored. Only then can we proclaim a new world order; No one is free until everyone is free. Chautuileo invites the audience to carry the three sisters and offer them in a place in the city, such as by a tree.

While each speaker grabs a red ribbon and guides it back into the audience, priestess Tama cuts the circular spindle where the ribbon meets the pulpit and brings it to the marble effigy of Michiel de Ruyter. The red ribbons drape over his deceased body down the whiter marble steps. A closing image open to interpretation; but it might resemble a bleeding system.

In collaboration with broadcaster Human and Brainwash Festival, a short video of TAMA was made in De Nieuwe Kerk. This went online on Instagram in mid-December as part of the new book by Grace Berkley; 'Vulture Capitalism'.

Foundation Above as Below will continue 'From T.I.N.A. to T.A.M.A.'; the public academy for post-capitalist alternatives, in 2025.