Memory of the body

A conversation about hereditary trauma and resilience.

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Information

Date and time Friday 23 January 2026 20:20 tot 21:10 uur
Location Theater aan het Spui - Zaal 2
Price 15,- (up to 30 years or Ooievaarspas)
25,- (Early Bird, up to 26 December, after 35,-)
32,50 (DenHaagPas).

Writers Forugh Karimi and Maddy Stolk spoke about intergenerational trauma in relation to the festival theme Let's get physical, and read from their latest books. In her novel In mijn ogen draag ik wolken (In my eyes I carry clouds, 2025), Forugh Karimi wrote about the traces of trauma and human resilience. In her novel Waar wij altijd geweest zijn, Maddy Stolk tells about three generations: grandmother, mother and daughter. Ellen Deckwitz contributed by reading poetry from her work.

Forugh Karimi is an Afghan-Dutch writer and psychiatrist. At the age of 25, she fled to the Netherlands with her husband. She studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam and works as a psychiatrist. In 2022, she made her debut with the novel De moeders van Mahipar (The Mothers of Mahipar) followed in 2025 by her novel In mijn ogen draag ik wolken (In My Eyes I Carry Clouds) in which Karimi interweaves the story of 15-year-old Widá's flight with parts of Afghan history.

Maddy Stolk is a writer, columnist and second-generation child of Indonesian descent. The family novel Soedah, laat maar (Soedah, Never Mind, 2023) is Stolk's literary debut, in which she uses her own life as the basis for a haunting novel. It is a story about a life with Indonesian parents and about the never-ending grief that parents pass on to their children. Her new novel, Waar wij altijd geweest zijn (Where We Have Always Been), will be published in January 2026. This precursor to Soedah tells of three generations: grandmother, mother and daughter, each fighting for their autonomy and for their freedom in their own way.

Ellen Deckwitz is a poet, columnist, critic and presenter at literary events, including Writers Unlimited. Her collection Hogere natuurkunde (2019) is part travelogue, part myth and part testimony of persons whose roots trace back to the former Dutch East Indies. In 2022, Eerste hulp bij poëzie was published, a contagiously enthusiastic omnibus about enjoying poetry. Deckwitz is one of three critics of podcast Boeken FM and one of the presenters of Nooit meer Slapen, the VPRO's cultural radio programme.

Memory of the Body was curated for Writers Unlimited Festival 2026 by Mojdeh Feili.

Line-up

Maddy Stolk

(The Netherlands, 1970) is a writer, columnist and second-generation child of Indonesian descent. She worked as editor-in-chief for the Dutch magazines Elle, Elsevier and Harper's Bazaar. In addition, she is active as a columnist. The family novel Soedah, laat maar (Soedah, Never Mind, 2023) is Stolk's literary debut, in which she uses her own life as the basis for a haunting novel that is simultaneously moving, hard, painful and gentle. It is a story about a life with Indonesian parents and about the never-ending grief that parents pass on to their children. Her new novel, Waar wij altijd geweest zijn (Where We Have Always Been), will be published by Ambo Anthos in January 2026. This precursor to Soedah tells of three generations: grandmother, mother and daughter, each fighting for their autonomy and for their freedom in their own way.

Go to the website of Maddy Stolk
Instagram: @maddystolk
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Forugh Karimi

(Afghanistan, 1971) is a succesful Afghan-Dutch writer and psychiatrist. At the age of 25, she fled to the Netherlands with her husband. She studied medicine at the University of Amsterdam and works as a psychiatrist and psychotherapist in her own practice in 's-Hertogenbosch. In February 2022, she made her debut with the novel De moeders van Mahipar (The Mothers of Mahipar), which was awarded the Hebban Literature Prize a year later. In 2023, she published the novella Nargis, followed in 2025 by her novel In mijn ogen draag ik wolken (In My Eyes I Carry Clouds) in which Karimi interweaves the story of 15-year-old Widá's flight with parts of Afghan history.
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Ellen Deckwitz

(The Netherlands, 1982) is a poet, columnist, critic and presenter at literary events, including Writers Unlimited. For De steen vreest mij (2011), she was awarded the C. Buddingh’ Prize for the best poetry debut. Her collection Hogere natuurkunde (2019) is part travelogue, part myth and part testimony, and the outcome of conversations Deckwitz engaged in with individuals whose roots also trace back to the former Dutch East Indies. In 2022, Eerste hulp bij poëzie was published, an omnibus containing her collections Olijven moet je leren lezen (2020) and Dit gaat niet over grasmaaien (2021). Deckwitz writes columns for national daily newspaper NRC. In her NPO Luister podcast Poëzie vandaag, she presents a Dutch or translated poem every workday morning. She is one of three critics of podcast Boeken FM. Since Autumn 2025, she has been one of the presenters of Nooit meer Slapen, the VPRO's night-time cultural radio programme.

Instagram: @la_deck
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Lin An Phoa

(1995) writes poetry and performs as a spoken word artist. In her work, she explores how language, poetry, and the stage can be welcoming spaces, with room for underrepresented perspectives. She investigates questions surrounding cultural identity, feminism, choice menus, systemic criticism, muscle memory, and self-care culture. Her poetry is an invitation to connection, softening, and change. Her texts have appeared in De Revisor and the anthology Stip op de Horizon, among others. She can be seen as both a performer and host at many cultural venues and festivals.

Go to the website of Lin An Phoa
Instagram: @linanph
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