Arts Lab 7.0: Loay ElMofty | Month III

For our December art project, we decided to create about Jemom Museum. The project was a collaboration between me, Eva, and Aya, who initially pitched the idea and reached out to others to get involved. Olivia, Anes, Andres, Annalisa, Marah, and Kerem all joined in, each taking on a different role in the project. My responsibilities included being one of the writers and directors of the play. We decided that the play would consist of three tableaux, each reflecting our perceptions of genocide.

The process was incredibly intense and challenging, mainly because we had a very short timeline to complete everything. With only three weeks to create, execute, and rehearse the play, we were under a lot of pressure. We practiced every day, sometimes for long hours, which made the process exhausting but also gave us the chance to fine-tune the details. The challenge of working with a large team of artists also led to some conflicts, but once we were able to address and resolve these issues, we came together to create something truly special.

Alongside the play, we also had an art residency at our school. Olivia and I traveled to Garabet Ibrăileanu school, where we held acting and film workshops with the students. One of the most difficult aspects of this residency was discussing the topic of genocide with kids, but we felt it was an important conversation to have. As part of the experience, we took the students to the Jewish cemetery in Târgu Frumos, where they wrote letters to the victims. This exercise was emotional for everyone involved, and it felt like a powerful way to connect the students to the history they were learning about. At the end of the residency, the students created a short film about the events that took place here in 1941, and we were all amazed by their work and how they were able to process such a heavy subject through art.

After all the hard work, we finally performed the play. The feedback we received from the audience was overwhelmingly positive, and it was incredibly satisfying to see that our efforts had paid off. The whole month had been hectic, with the pressure of the short timeline, the intense practice sessions, and the emotional weight of the subject matter, but in the end, we felt proud of what we accomplished. The play itself was not just a performance but also a meaningful conversation about history, which made it even more special.

Reflecting on this experience, I learned a lot about collaboration, time management, and how art can be a powerful tool for education. While working with so many people on one project brought some conflict, it also brought together a range of talents and ideas that were essential to the success of the play. The short timeline forced us to be efficient and focused, but it also highlighted the importance of planning ahead. The workshops with the students showed me just how important it is to use art as a way to help people engage with difficult topics, and the positive feedback from the performance reinforced the impact that art can have on an audience.

Looking forward, there are several things I would do differently. If we take on a similar project in the future, I would like to have more time to work on the details and avoid the last-minute rush. I would also focus more on setting clear expectations at the beginning of the project to help minimize conflicts. I would love to continue doing outreach work with schools and communities, using art to educate people about important social and historical issues. Finally, based on how successful this project was, I’d be excited to think about expanding our work to include more topics and larger performances in the future, perhaps even planning longer art residencies to give us more time to dive into the material and explore it more deeply.

Overall, this project was an incredibly challenging but rewarding experience, and I’m proud of everything we accomplished as a team. The combination of hard work, emotional investment, and creative collaboration made it an unforgettable month.

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