Drawing from her research on salinization and her long-standing relationship with water, Müge Yilmaz reflects on pollution, salt-loving plants, and the importance of understanding water not just as a resource, but as a living presence shaped by – and responding to – human and non-human forces. In her work with the collective 4Siblings on a semi-urban, semi-wild plot in Amsterdam, they explore growing food and engaging with ecology through direct, embodied experience and praxis, rather than solely relying on theory.

This podcast is part of the series Leaky Turns

Leaky Turns

What becomes of water when we look at it through the lens of different artists and researchers? And how might it assist us in looking at the world differently? Seven practitioners individually welcome us to a water-related place in Amsterdam, and explain what this place tells us about water when we listen, look, and think carefully. Each interview is preceded by a listening exercise, guided by the voice of the interviewee; intimately connected to their chosen location. These recordings can be experienced onsite, or wherever you find yourself, with a moment to spare.

This series documents what has occurred in the Gerrit Rietveld studio as part of the Climate Imaginaries programme focussing on water and climate justice. The seven practitioners have been involved in the programme, engaging in practice-based artistic research and exploring both textual and non-textual formats. Five of the practitioners are part of Loom – practice for cultural transformation, who also produced this podcast.