A rising flower makes a garden

2022

During her residency in Framer Framed Werkplaats Molenwijk, in Fall 2022, Saras developed collections of photographs of flowers in the Molenwijk neighbourhood and was captivated by one rose. Learning from the residents in the area through conversations and activities, she formed proverbs and parable stories based on the experiences, interactions, and history in the neighbourhood.

The project begins with the question of scarcity and abundance, to understand what it means in the context of being civic in the city, to care yet also be critical in bonds with respect to one another.

Een rijzende bloem vormt een tuin

On Monday, while helping out Annie and Hella in the garden, I ask Annie if I can step off the path. She says I can. It makes sense because I help to tend the shrubs and other greenery that spreads over the whole garden. I told myself that I need to watch my steps so I will not step on the plants. While being there, I feel the garden immersively. I realize that I breathe among living beings.

I share with Annie my lines of poems:

Do you know that there is no scarcity in heaven?

Is that true that there is no scarcity in heaven?

Who told you that there is no scarcity in heaven?

She responds by asking me a question:

“How do you envision heaven?”

“I think of a vast landscape with fields of grass, trees, blooming flowers, and abundant fruit.”

“What about you?”, I asked. “How do you envision heaven?”

“I think heaven is above us, in the sky. I think of the sun, the moon, the stars, clouds, and rain”

“Hoe zie jij de Hemel voor je?”

“Ik stel het me voor als een enorm landschap met grasvelden, bomen, bloeiende bloemen, en overvloedig fruit.”

“En jij?”, vroeg ik. “Hoe zie jij de Hemel voor je? “

“Ik denk dat de Hemel boven ons is, in de lucht. Ik denk aan de zon, de maan, de sterren, wolken en regen.”

To me, heaven is earth-like, but without scarcity

To her, heaven is celestial, the universe that keeps expanding.

On Friday, 18th November, I visited Annie and asked her again about her vision of heaven, then she said, heaven is when people help each other, in this world we live in. When someone does not have food, they will not think of heaven. They need someone to help them, they need a neighbour to help them. She said her answer is inspired by a poem.

At 11.36 before noon, Annie shared the poem with me and Ivan. This poem was also an eulogy according to her.

-Excerpt from the performance script by Ratu R. Saraswati

Sometimes you meet a human

Sometimes you meet a human

with whom you can be

as you are:

Uncertain and small

Someone with whom you find safety

and know that despite your mistakes,

you are beloved.

Sometimes you meet a human

with a warm-feeling heart,

there you feel sheltered

in suffering and grief.

In feeling knowledge that,

without asking,

you will be assisted

carrying your worries.

Sometimes you meet a human

who asks your warmth

and to whom you bear

your deepest love.

This creates harmony,

makes it good to live:

What was gifted to you

you may pass on.

By Zuster Christa,

Ons Blad, summer 1984, Apostolate of Prayer, Nijmegen.

Photographs of the rose from Wipmolentuin, a 30-year community garden initiated by Annie, a resident of Molenwijk neighbourhood, Amsterdam Noord

Riso-printed photograph, an edition of 250, yellow, fluorescent pink, aqua, black inks given as gifts for neighbours and visitors

Photographs of colchicum from Toon Kleiss Paradijs, a garden in the neighbourhood

Presentation at Framer Framed Werkplaats Molenwijk, Amsterdam

Installation photo from the exhibition A rising flower makes a garden (2022) at Werkplaats Molenwijk, Amsterdam. © Lina van den Idsert / Framer Framed.

Video and editing by Lina van den Idsert

Supported by Framer Framed, Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Amsterdam

Riso prints by PrintRoom, Rotterdam

The Garden as Material, Map, Metaphor, State of Mind

Essay by Megan Hoetger

On the opening night, Saras reads the script she wrote for the neighbours and guests who gathered on 10 December 2022.

In the fall of 2022, Saras attended a gardening session with Molenwjik neighbours in Wipmolentuin garden. She observed and documented flowers and living beings in there from time to time.

She arranged bouquets and gave them away for the Molenwijk residents and passers-by on some Mondays in September 2022. During the three-month residency, her creative process formed through conversations, everyday encounters, and knowledges she learned from the residents in this housing complex.