Arts Lab 7.0: Aya Hossameldin Saad Mohamed | Month VI - Move… Move… Travel

Bucharest… I had been waiting for this training since the moment I arrived in Romania. I was extremely excited about the experience and looking forward to it. The journey was rather long, but it was enjoyable. In fact, most of the time in this program was enjoyable, even if it was sometimes exhausting.

The train ride lasted eight hours. I felt tired, but at the same time I felt relaxed and ready to transition into a new and different stage. We arrived in Bucharest early in the morning, and despite our exhaustion, we wanted to make the most of every moment and enjoy the city. So we immediately went out to explore.

I visited the National History Museum of Romania, and I must admit I had never imagined that Romania possessed such a rich and remarkable history. I was truly amazed by the depth and wealth of this civilization.

Early the next morning, our training program began. We learned a great deal about other volunteer programs, expanded our networks, and met wonderful people from different countries. Despite our diverse backgrounds, we all shared one common goal: to serve communities through art and education.

This experience made me realize how many future experiences and opportunities I hope to live through. Perhaps another similar opportunity will present itself again one day.

The trainers were incredibly creative in making those three days full of interaction and connection among the participants. They helped us feel that we were one unified group, connected and working toward similar goals, even if our individual paths appeared different on the surface.

After finishing the training, I decided to visit my Egyptian friends in Germany.

Move, move, time to travel again.

They welcomed me with warmth, generosity, and of course, delicious Egyptian food. I spent four days visiting art museums and exposing my mind and spirit to different artistic experiences in order to nourish and develop my creative thinking.

My friend, the artist Mina, also took me on a tour of his studio. Our discussions about art and experimentation opened new horizons within me and encouraged me to think differently about my own artistic practice.

Move, move, time to return.

I felt extremely tired, yet deeply happy after these two journeys. I felt that I had matured in some way, becoming filled with new ideas and a different perspective about my next steps in the future.

Now it was time to return to my personal artistic work: Cucuteni.

Even before traveling, I had been very fascinated by this civilization and its artistic language. The Cucuteni–Trypillia culture is incredibly rich in symbols and motifs, simple in appearance, yet deeply expressive of a lifestyle that may have seemed simple but still holds many mysterious secrets.

I created two artworks inspired by this civilization.

This artwork is divided into two parts. It is a contemporary interpretation of the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture. The pieces combine experimental techniques such as cyanotype printing and metal leaf application to explore ideas of cultural memory and transformation.

The base of both artworks is created using the cyanotype process. The deep blue color gives a sense of depth and time, it reminds us of the sky, water, and earth. It also reflects the idea of how memories become imprinted on surfaces.

The botanical forms in the artwork appear as delicate silhouettes, resembling archaeological traces or fossilized fragments of ancient landscapes.

Together, the two artworks create a dialogue between destruction and continuity. One piece reflects the memory of burning and transformation, while the other imagines an alternative history, one in which culture continues to develop without interruption.

The presence of figurative forms in the artwork reinforces ideas of fertility, protection, and the generative power of life within ancient communities.

Exhibition Day

Exhibition day is always my favorite day.

Visitors were fascinated by our artworks and engaged deeply with them. I especially enjoyed the interactive part of my installation, where I played the role of “The Pattern Keeper.”

I presented Cucuteni motifs to the visitors and invited them to draw them. It became a symbolic test: if they were able to reproduce the patterns accurately, I would give them my blessing and draw Cucuteni ornaments on their fingers, transforming them into Pattern Keepers as well.

We ended the day with an improvised dance to the rhythm of Andres’s drums, joined by some members of the audience.

Move, move…

It is time to begin working on the next artistic theme: Emotions.

This monthly report was written by Aya Hossameldin Saad Mohamed, 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.