Medicament for Your Predicament: OPEN LAB! - Cat Jones

Medicament For Your Predicament is an experimental pharmacy offering new approaches to collective and mutual care for our complicated times. Join artist Cat Jones to create homespun solutions to your personal and political ailments, however big or small they might be. Medicament For Your Predicament draws on Cat Jones’ unique botanic, sensory and social practice and her feminist and queer research into the fields of science and medicine, sharing home remedies and recipes that have been passed down through diverse communities across many generations. 

Get hands-on in the OPEN LAB! workshops from the comfort of your own home. In an intimate 3.5-hour workshop, Cat will beam into your kitchen and guide you through a series of activities to diagnose the issues that have you most ill at ease. Collectively, you will then create a medicament—using ingredients from your kitchen and a special package of materials sent to you by the artist—that will empower you to take it on.

Every day at Carriageworks, visit the OPEN PHARMACY! installation, which showcases the medicaments that have been created through the project and offers you quick and dirty prescriptions, amidst the effervescent powder of conversation.


OPEN LAB! Workshop

Participation will include conversational interaction, use of Zoom’s break out rooms and uploading of data and images created by you.

Together we will:

○ reflect, imagine and discuss

○ mix basic formulations that you will enhance

○ elaborate creatively on your themes

○ document a collective pharmacy

Further details and information will be sent prior to the event. Please consider:

○ An edible or medicinal plant or remedy from the backyard of your mind

○ A botanic or political article/link/book to make a temporary virtual library

○ Or nothing at all

What you’ll need to participate:

○ A postal address (Australian residents only)

○ Access to a computer with webcam, microphone access to the internet and Zoom app (participation is conversational and there will be links to read, access or enter information into).

○ Access to a kitchen with basic utilities and utensils (including kettle, stove and sink, saucepan, tea towels, jars, bowl, spoons).

○ Access to some basic kitchen pantry herbs and spices, or fresh ones from your garden or local neighborhood.

Workshop Duration 3.5 hours

OPEN LAB! is for participants age 16+ and may contain plant materials.

Residents of Australia only

Tickets must be purchased by the participant due to data collection and access needs.

COVID-19; Keeping Everybody Safe 

We are implementing comprehensive COVID-19 safety measures in line with current government directives, in order to create a safe and enjoyable festival experience for everyone. Please make sure you read our COVID-19 Safety steps before you join us at Carriageworks.

Respect Your Reservation
With minimum capacities in venues this year, we ask that you Respect Your Reservation and the amazing artists and creatives performing, regardless of cost. If you’re feeling unwell or can no longer join us, please let us know by 10am the day of the show so we can offer your seat to someone else. Please see our returns and exchanges policy for more details.