Hi! My name is Iris and I’m half Sardinian, half Flemish (Belgian), currently living in my hometown Antwerp in Belgium but my nomadic heart makes it that I am often on the move.
I fluently speak Dutch, English, French and Italian. I can speak a decent amount of Spanish and a bit of German. I’m always up for international collaborations and intercultural exchanges because to me they make the world a brighter place. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with me in another language other than English, I’d be more than happy to hear from you!
© Caroline Monthaye
Performer
I am the co-founder and artistic director of the performance company Circ'ombelico (literally translated: belly button circus), in which I have always created my own work and performed on stage. As a dancer, singer, actress, acrobat, director and coach I worked on behalf of several other companies.
As an artist, my work has evolved in recent years to a form where performance, installation-experience and ritual intersect. Since 2020 I have been working under my own name.
I myself have a real nomadic heart. For years I lived in a trailer and drove the circus truck all over Europe. I also made many trips around the world, each time inspired by the richness of different cultures. Stories fascinate and feed me enormously, both as an artist and on a personal level.
Both the physical and the immaterial journey receive the necessary attention in my work both as an artist and as a ritualist.
Seeker
It seems that I have an insatiable hunger for knowledge and learning.
The list of workshops, internships and long-term training courses that I have already followed is therefore very long. In recent years I have followed intensive courses in aromatherapy, non-violent communication, sacred geometry and inner child work. I have been practicing yoga, qi-gong and meditation on an almost daily base for years.
Very recently I started the journey of becoming a doula. My heart goes out to this nurturing path of feminine energy and qualities. To take life in as waves and to surrender to its flow.
I am in love with the sea and surfing, I cherish the loving memory of my wonderful dog Zaza who has been my companion for 15 years, I cook with a lot of love and I feel strongly connected with colors, scents, symbolism and the forest. Buddhism inspires me in a translation to a western everyday reality.
When it comes to spirituality, I am very open-minded and like to be inspired by very diverse worldviews. I have been part of a close-knit women's circle myself for years. Recently I also started organizing circles and rituals in an intimate setting myself. One of the last courses I followed, combined bushcraft and shamanism. Because as humans we are very closely connected with Mother Earth, it is my wish, coming from a deep love for nature, to take others into nature for an even deeper ritual experience.
Ritualist
As a little girl, growing up in a haberdashery shop, my love for all things handicraft began. My personal favorite; embroidery. I have always remained a creative jack-of-all-trades. That also translates into my personality. I am often told that I seem a bit like a chameleon because I can wear many different hats and feel at home.
This means that whilst I have a clear role as a ritualist, I can effortlessly adapt its form according to the context in which I am moving at that moment and the person I have in front of me. While some people love incense sticks and candles, others are horrified and want a much more “earthy” approach. I understand that. From an early age, my mother often said to me, "Il faut de tout pour faire un monde", which translates into: a little bit of everything is needed to make the world round and complete. That's how I see it, completely, within our worldwide community. How rich it is that all those different types of people form such a beautifully colorful whole.
Bringing different influences as ingredients together to brew a unique whole; that is my specialty! My Sardinian roots ensure that warmth, sensory and homely cosiness are very important to me. Whatever I do, brew or create; authenticity and connection always play a key role in my work. When you come to me, you are my guest who deserves and receives special attention. You will feel that. Both when you come to experience my artistic work, as when I’ll accompany you as a doula or ritualist.
“Il faut de tout pour faire un monde”
la mamma