Arts Lab 6.0: Katrīna Elizabete Kiršfelde - Month 2

This month was packed with activities, cultural exchanges, and personal growth opportunities. We began with a French cultural night, we enjoyed French cuisine, music, and traditions. It was a nice experience, especially making protest posters. 

On the creative front, I continued to develop my personal artwork, which has been both challenging and rewarding. We also had a significant milestone this month: our first exhibition at ACT House. This was a major moment for everyone involved, as it showcased the fruits of our collective efforts over just a few weeks. The exhibition brought immense pride and satisfaction, but it was also nerve-wracking as I worried about how our work would be received. We celebrated the success with a fun outing to a pizza place afterward and it felt like a reward for all the effort we’d put in.

Our outreach efforts included visiting a high school in Iași, where we conducted individual workshops. Interacting with the students was enriching, but also tiring, as we were there for nearly 4 hours. It was both exciting and intimidating—I was nervous about whether my workshop would resonate with the students, but their responses put me at ease. Later, we extended our engagement to a workshop trip to Bacău, where we conducted additional sessions and enjoyed a warm group lunch together with the team.

In the studio, we had to overcome our pride for a deep cleaning of the ceramics space, which was much needed. It felt great to work as a team and see the space restored to its full potential. Another highlight of the month was celebrating Kristers’ birthday, where I surprised him with a cake and small gathering that truly lifted the atmosphere.

One of the most memorable experiences was mine and Kristers hike to the cross hill of Târgu Frumos, followed by a relaxing picnic. It brought feelings of peace and connection. The views were breathtaking, and it was a wonderful way to connect with nature and each other.

We also had a second exhibition in Iași, but unfortunately, it coincided with some health issues I had, which slightly overshadowed the event. These issues made everything very stressful, it was very hard to enjoy the event and unfortunately I had to leave early to get some rest. Nonetheless, the effort and creativity displayed were inspiring.

Finally, we started a new residency at a technical school, which posed challenges due to the language barrier. Communicating effectively required extra patience and creativity, but it also provided valuable lessons in adaptability.

Another cultural highlight was the Syrian Cultural Night, where we were introduced to Syrian music, tea and food. It was a moving experience to learn about the culture and hear personal stories from our Syrian friend.

I’m looking forward to the journey ahead and am committed to making the most of this unique experience, both artistically and personally.

Report written by Katrīna Elizabete Kiršfelde, she's from Latvia and she's one of the 14 volunteers participating in Arts Lab 6.0, a project co-funded by the European Union through the European Solidarity Corps program.