I rather be Generous
Tracing Generosity
Conversations with students from BEAR ArtEZ, recorded on 16 Mai 2025.
The three podcasts feature conversations between students from BEAR ArtEZ who participated in the Tracing Generosity theory class, and I’d Rather Be Generous. Over the course of the semester, the students formed three research groups, each exploring a different aspect of generosity: food culture, capitalist systems, and small habits. We spoke with each group about their research and findings.
The Culture Group — Evan, Chavela, Canan, Vineeta (with Jiyoon not present during the recording) — explored acts of generosity across the diverse cultures they represent, with a particular focus on food traditions. Their first act as a group was to organize a dinner, creating space to get to know each other and share personal stories. They asked: How can storytelling be an act of generosity? What can we learn from each other through this exchange?
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The Generosity in Capitalist Systems Group — Carlos, Lianne, Rosalie, Zoë, Sara (with Haven not present during the conversation) — investigated institutional generosity, particularly within capitalist infrastructures that are often anything but generous. They examined how the structures and habits within these systems could be reimagined to foster generosity — or questioned which seemingly generous structures are, in reality, not generous at all.
The Generous Habits Group — Cesare, Saghar, Yara, and Roos — focused on small, everyday acts of generosity. What are the unconscious or routine behaviors we engage in that could be considered generous? How can we become more aware of them? How can we improve and repeat them more intentionally?
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A thank you to the BEAR (Base for Experiment, Art and Research) department at ArtEZ in Arnhem. And a special thanks you to the students who participated in the Tracing Generosity class and this podcast project. It was a joy to work with you this semester.
Haven Lommerse
Carlos Colás Gonzalez
Lianne Smit
Rosalie van Keulen
Zoë Westerhof
Sara van Rijn
Cesare Luczka
Saghar Afzalnia
Yara Vlasblom
Roos Wennekers
Evan Jullian Restu Respat
Flor Chavela Molano Gomez
Canan Cosgun
jiyoon Han
Vineeta Havik
