Podcast Series - Walking with Water
Episode 2: Beneath the Wheels Rivers Flow, poetry performed by Nevena Radulović

Neva Lukić

Curator and writer Neva Lukic met with Biljana Ciric on a sunny weekend morning in Belgrade's old quarters. After their discussion, Neva came up with her contribution piece, Beneath the Wheels Rivers Flow.

They talked about the underground waters of Belgrade and the deep time when millions of years ago, the land they stood on was under the Pannonian Sea. Neva continued her research based on Zoran Nikolic and Vidoje Golubovic's book Belgrade underneath Belgrade, combining it with the ideas from the publication Walking with Water.

The outcome was a series of poems that delved into the history and underground topography of the city. It offers the audience an insight into the turbulent history of Belgrade, spanning two historical epochs: the wars between the Ottoman Empire and the Habsburg Monarchy from the 16th through the 18th centuries and the World War II period.

The piece is centred around the two rivers, whose confluence is located in the heart of Belgrade. Throughout history, Sava and Danube have represented lines of connection and separation between the East and the West, whereas, in contemporary times, they define a boundary or a borderline.

The poetry was performed by the dancer, singer, and actor Nevena Radulović on a cold Sunday morning at the tranquil and captivating interior garden of the Museum of Contemporary Art Novi Sad.

We share Neva's poetry in the original Croatian language of its creation and invite listeners to perceive Nevena's voice with their bodies and minds open beyond words and meaning.