Arts Lab 7.0: Annalisa Schettino | Month II

In this second month I started to get used to this new routine and to handle my mixed feelings better. I feel grateful for every instant I’m spending here with so many nice people, but it’s also important to learn to find space for myself in order to process all the emotions. In the first week I concluded the first artistic residency with Kerem. I realized what I can improve for the next residency, and I think I overlooked it, since I focused more on the process day by day, without having a clearer big picture. But I’m still satisfied with how I managed to connect with the kids and the relationships I built with them during the activity. And most of all, they had fun, and this is what counts at the end of the day.

The Pumpkin festival that took place that Saturday was fun and full of activities, even though the loud music was a bit overstimulating. The stage moment for us was an interesting intercultural sharing, and the food there was on top as always.

The next week was sluggish, because we mainly focused on the online on-arrival training. Anyway, it was interesting to get to know other volunteers all around Romania and hear about their projects. I tried to use this opportunity to chat with other people, even though the technical issues and the disinterest from most of them in the training were quite obstacles. But it made me realize the uniqueness of this project and how it creates a great sense of belonging for us as a team. It was also fun making jokes with the people in the house about the awkward situations created by the technical issues. I also used that week to recharge my batteries in anticipation of more challenging times. I also started to work slowly on my personal artwork in the meantime. Then we had Eva’s birthday Halloween-themed party; that evening was for sure the sweetest memory from that week. 

On Saturday we had a photoshoot with traditional costumes; it was a really engaging and funny way to get in touch with the local folklore. We had a lot of laughs. The moment we danced the hora all together while dressed up was very special. We concluded the day with a really nice and tasty dinner at the mentor’s house. I believe that the moments we share a meal all together are really precious, especially because they don’t occur so often.

The next day Mònica and Salma held the first super talk of our project, and for me it was a great opportunity to work with clay after a long time. I realized how much I missed it, even though, as usual, I started to create my own artwork, going off-topic without focusing on the main task.

On the same night we took the bus to get to Constanța. That was the start of our first great adventure traveling together. From this trip I will keep some of the best memories from this project for sure, especially the evenings spent talking, dancing, and watching the stars on the beach. The city definitely exceeded my expectations. Even though it wasn’t so lively, the atmosphere truly reflected what I look for in a city: cool beaches, greenery, cultural sites, chill places to relax in, and peaceful vibes. The long beach walks made me feel closer to my home country.

The comeback to Târgu Frumos was quite harsh, mostly because we had to work on our personal artwork intensively, since the exhibition was approaching. All of us gave our best and worked until late. The atmosphere was tense, but it was really cool actually seeing our creative process put into practice. The days preceding the exhibition were restless, and we were stressed by all the mess left inside the house.

The vernissage day went smoothly, the visitors were all invested, and they joined the interactive activities. We should all be proud of what we achieved in such a short time. The diversity of our artworks was impressive, and they all blended together in a very unique exhibition.

In the same week we arranged workshops for kids inside the house of culture. I’m really glad we discovered this new space; it can be put to good use for future projects. I made the kids design a capra costume collectively. They went off the rails from the task, but it’s fine, they enjoyed their time there anyway.

After the mentoring activity on Saturday, I spent the evening in Iași with some people from the group. I like every social occasion when we can talk, have fun, and get to know each other better. Also, it’s refreshing to change air, experience the city's life, and discover underground places.

I went to Iași the next day too, spending a bit of time by myself, at my own pace. I went to the cinema for the first time here in Romania, and that made me feel so good, because it’s the place where I used to spend most of my free time back in Italy. It felt like being able to carve out my own space again since I’m here. I also had a very nice chat in the morning at the café with two locals. I was proud of myself for being able to open up to others and take opportunities to create new connections outside of this project. They informed me about many interesting facts about their country. And it was also curious that we managed to connect immediately through our art, since they were passionate about it as well.

Two days later, I had the chance to see the kids from Moldova School, where I held my residency, again. It was so heartwarming for me. They gifted me so much love and so many hugs; I felt blessed to get to know them, and I’m glad they kept a good memory of me despite the short time we spent together.

The day after, our JEMOM project actually started and we seriously got into it, planning our shared project for it. I’m very excited for what’s coming next, because I think something very unique will come out; something that has never been done before during an Arts Lab. Also, I always wanted to be involved in a theatrical project, and this is the best occasion for me to take it up. It’s a very harsh topic, so I’m glad we combine all our arts to collaborate. We visited the cemetery, and it was a very emotional experience; I really want to give my contribution to keep the memory of these people alive.

The month ended with the visit to the Art University, and after all the emotions that JEMOM gave me, I felt I needed something different to take a break from it. I used to enjoy my time as an art student, so it brought me back some very good memories and reminded me of how much I miss it.

The next month promises to be quite challenging, and I don’t deny that I’m feeling a bit of performance anxiety for our next exhibition, but fortunately we are a good team, and we always have each other's back.

This monthly report was written by Annalisa Schettino, our Italian volunteer taking part in a seven-month Arts Lab 7.0 mobility, co-funded by the European Union under the European Solidarity Corps.