Arts Lab 6.0: Soukaina Sekkan - Month 2

I started my month with another trip to Iaşi, where we discovered new places, walked a lot, and found some beautiful pieces in second-hand shops. This month was packed with big events, so I don’t remember all the small details, but the memories I do have are unforgettable. 

On the 20th of October, we had two amazing activities. First, we held a crown-making workshop with autumn leaves during the autumn festival at the House of Culture. I enjoyed it so much, especially when the kids came up to us, asking to be crowned the queen or king of autumn. We made the crowns together, and their joy was contagious. We even had little celebrations, counting down—3, 2, 1—and clapping like it was a big ceremony. What touched me most was when an elderly grandma came with a young child. I made a crown for her, and she was so happy she even insisted on paying me, which warmed my heart. Moments like that remind me why I love what I do. That same evening, we celebrated French Night, organized by Savane and Ella. They prepared delicious food and planned fun activities and games that brought us all together. It was such a joyful evening, and I loved seeing how much effort they put into sharing their culture with us. 

The following days, I focused on my artwork for the Jemom Museum. On the 23rd of October, I participated in my first caravan in Iaşi, where my workshop was about painting on textiles and sending messages to the victims of the train. The kids were incredibly excited and expressive. When they came to me saying, “Salam Oaalaikom,” I felt so welcomed. One girl even came up to me and gently said, “Take care; some of your hair is showing.” That moment made me so proud and happy. By the end, the kids surprised me with little gifts and took pictures with me. It was so special, and I’m still in contact with some of them. 

I continued working on my paintings and textile pieces, incorporating the work we did together. Then came the big day: October 26th—my first exhibition. I felt so proud when people truly understood my artwork. They said it had a deep, magical quality, which made me so happy because they could feel the messages I wanted to share through “Echoes of Remembrance.” At the end of the exhibition, everyone wore red threads as bracelets, symbolizing connection, it was my interactive part, and we celebrated with pizza. 

On the 3rd of November, we held another exhibition at the museum in Iaşi. It was even more successful; we had many guests, and hearing their reactions, especially the “woooows,” made me so proud. 

The following days were more relaxed as we explored Târgu Frumos. We walked to the cross on the hilltop, hoping to see a panoramic view of the town, but it wasn’t quite what we had imagined. Still, it was nice to wander and discover our surroundings. 

In the days after, we continued scanning the cemetery as part of our project. Then, on the 7th of November, we held another exhibition in Bacău, inspired by the messages from my artwork. We also explored the city and visited a gallery. What amazed me most was seeing a painting of Sidi Bou Said in Tunisia outside the gallery. It was so unexpected and brought back memories of my time in Tunisia. Those were truly good days, and I felt nostalgic. Inside, I asked about the artist and learned she had traveled to Arab countries and was deeply inspired by what she saw. It made me feel connected to her work in a special way. Later, we had a Syrian cultural night organized by Rahaf, who worked all day preparing delicious food. We enjoyed the activities and played the mafia game—it was my first time playing, and I loved it. We also learned so much about Syria, its music, and its culture, making it a night to remember. 

On the 13th of November, we started our residency for the Maf Museum. The first day came with challenges since we didn’t have a wall to paint on, but by the next day, we began sketching. The youth joined us, and every minute teenagers came over, saying things we couldn’t understand but still wanting to help. They picked up brushes and painted with us. The real challenge wasn’t working with the young people but painting the big wall outside in the freezing cold. Despite the difficulties, we were proud of the final result.

Report written by Soukaina Sekkan, she's from Morocco 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.