Jelena Prljević
Location: Ljubanje, Serbia

Jelena is a visual artist whose practice explores the field of drawing, moving image, and installation. Her work focuses on understanding of fear, healing process, and transformation as necessary to overcome both internal and external unrest.
In 2018, in NYC, she co-founded HEKLER platform and transnational collective that focuses on the critical and experimental examination of hospitality and conflict. In Summer 2020, she initiated building of the “Four Waters” Meeting Point in village Ljubanje, Serbia where she, with the support of her family and artist Miloš Bojović, works on the transformation and restoration of the old family houses with the intention to celebrate hospitality, imagination and further collaborations. Currently lives and works in Ljubanje.

Nataša Prljević
Location: Mexico City, MX / Užice, Serbia

Nataša is an artist, curator and educator committed to collaborative and collective practices that intersect art, activism, radical pedagogy, and movement building. Starting from a collage and assemblage as modus operandi, she focuses on a transformative potential of polyvocality that arises through a range of activations and media. In 2018 she co-founded HEKLER, an artist-run platform and transnational collective that fosters the critical and experimental examination of hospitality, conflict, and transnational feminist collectivities. For the last ten years, from a position of an artist, Prljević has worked as educator, curator, administrator, producer, and consultant internationally with individuals, collectives and organizations in the field of art, pedagogy, and community organizing. Works between Mexico City (MEX), Užice (Serbia), and New York (USA).

Miloš Bojović
Location: Požega / Ljubanje, Serbia

Miloš is a photographer and writer born in Western Serbia. In his work, Miloš explores the relations of fear, anxiety, and possibilities of choice in the space of imagination. Experiments in the fields of image, sound, and text, he joins in video installations and film. He is a co-founder of Žuta Mrija production company which explores topics in underground films, music videos, stop-motion animation, and commercial and advertising visuals. Tightly collaborates with Jelena Prijević, an artist and a conspirator, on various projects and ideas, where the Four Waters project is of the main interest. Miloš enjoys exhibiting his works whenever that process makes sense. He writes different kinds of textual forms that are occasionally published in the online magazine Tag, run by his friend Darko Vukić. His main profane preoccupations are cycling, chess and spearfishing. He is based in Požega, Serbia.

Nikolija Prljević
Location: Užice / Ljubanje, Serbia

Nikolija spent nearly 30 years in the hospitality industry as a worker and entrepreneur. When she closed her store “Lipa”, she realized even more the importance, nobility and responsibility of that calling, and what it means to feed so many people. In the course of that decades-long work, communication was the basis of cooperation, business and friendship at different levels and always present. This knowing made Nikolija embrace hospitality as a priority to this day. After this working experience, thanks to the support of the young artists around her, she turned to creative work – knitting clothes from natural wool, and founded her own brand, “Radenka”. She takes care of the horticulture and cooks meals for the participants in construction of the Four Waters Meeting Point, its residents, and guests. Lives and works between Užice and Ljubanje

Milojka Prljević
Location: Ljubanje, Serbia

Milojka, a long-time employee (40 years) of the Užice department of Elektroprivreda Srbije, knows the best the life conditions and hardships in the village of Ljubanje, because she has spent her whole life there. Every morning she takes care of her herd of sheep, who patiently wait for the evening to come when Milojka is done with her working day in the city, and can take them out to the meadow for mutual enjoyment. She takes care of flowers, likes to travel in the Summer, and makes brandy in the Fall. She spent the last few years as a caretaker of her mother Bosiljka, with whom she spent her entire life. She lives and works between Ljubanje and Užice, Serbia.

Miloš Prljević
Location: Užice / Ljubanje, Serbia

Miloš has been working for 40 years at the Copper Mill Sevojno at the rolling flat section, where he most recently received the Award for the Best Worker for 2022. He is known among the people for his industriousness and work ethics, discussions and care for the (collapsing) state of worker’s rights. In addition to working in the factory, for 40 years he enjoys making roof constructions, as he likes to say “as a hobby”. Among many roofs and facilities he helped build in the region is the Four Waters Meeting Point. Lives and works between Užice and Ljubanje.

Luna
Location: Ljubanje, Serbia

Luna was removed from the street 12 years ago thanks to Nina, our first neighbors’ granddaughter. Later on, she was lucky to be gifted to Milojka and avoid stray dog destiny. Since then, she defies the cold mountain winters and proudly carries her freedom, even though she spends her time, like most country dogs, in a laid down barrel, chained for almost 10 years. Since the Winter of 2020, officially released from the chain and unleashed, often times she can be seen with a dirt-stained nose due to the tireless explorations of the world around her, showing her health through an enviably strong body and teeth. The graceful she-wolf loves to wander, rest in the hay, dig out Milojka’s rosemary and wallow in the bushy flowers. Adores to cuddle.

Loki
Location: Ljubanje, Serbia

Loki, from the first days, finds the sympathy of random passengers who provide him with a blanket, water and food, even though he was left on the street. Rescued from the dumpster, he joins our yard in October 2021 as officially the first animal without an assigned practical function that can explain its existence, briefly, our first pet. He is a favorite to many hosts. Faithful and smart muzzle, responds to every call. He doesn’t miss the opportunity to pry out a cuddle. His extraordinary ability is knowing how to shake hands.

Lajka
Location: Ljubanje, Serbia

Lajka exists thanks to Luna and Loki. The youngest dog and one of the survivors from the litter of 2022. A fighter who eats whatever finds its place under her tooth. Although small in size, she hunts chickens very efficiently. She barks a lot, as her name suggests. She enjoys spending time with Loki swimming in a nearby stream. At night, bravely follows Luna’s expeditions.