Four Sisters is a public garden and a community project initiated by Marija Šujica, Müge Yilmaz, and The Beach i.s.m Iris Dik. In a plot of land of 45m x 45m, rented from Gemeente Amsterdam in Nieuw West, an edible labyrinth of various plants has been growing since the spring. The project started on the 1st of May of this year, with the first seeds and saplings being sown, and will last until mid-October. Four Sisters takes the ancient agricultural method milpa as a learning method to cultivate the idea of support and practice belonging, rather than owning, in order to create a community of enriched coexistence. Four Sisters brings people together to learn to grow food in a mutually supportive way; care for our bodies while we care for the land; make a point in biodiversity and seed resources; and generate new local networks between artists, farmers, permaculturists, and residents while learning by doing.

In siblinghood with W139, Müge Yilmaz has initiated a participatory walking performance from the premises of W139 (Warmoestraat, Centrum) to the premises of Four Sisters (Tom Schreursweg, Nieuw West). Moving from the center to the edge of the city, this slow walk will be accompanied by multimedia artist Farah Rahman, who will guide us through the wild plants and herbs we’ll encounter along the way. The route, approximately 8.8km long, will pass through the parks and ‘green spaces’ of Amsterdam. The walk is meant to be a space to learn collectively and share knowledge about the spaces we are walking through and the plants we encounter. Once we reach the Four Sisters, we’ll learn more about the garden and Muge’s experiences, and we’ll watch the sunset and eat together near the fire (with the little addition of our foraged herbs). 

Wear comfortable and weather appropriate clothing for walking and being outside for an extended period of time.  

Artist bios: 

In her work, Müge Yilmaz examines the paradoxes around the concept of protection with a focus on community, survival, and belief (faith). Through performances, photographs, and installations she creates immersive atmospheres inspired by feminist science-fiction. Following the concept of three ecologies for observing the mental (subjective), societal, and environmental developments in a parallel method, she uses image and performance as tools for envisioning potential futures. By keeping protection as a common denominator, her research creates speculations on preservation and scarcity. She constantly looks for trigger points in the shape of visual manifestations that provoke subconscious reactions and reflexes.

Farah Rahman is a mixed media artist working with ol-factory, (living) archive materials such as plants and other organic materials. Farah’s tendency to collect and document artistically is similar to the work of an ethnographer who analyzes peoples and cultures through field research and field recordings. She strives to use remixing media techniques as a research tool.