30I N T E R V I E WPeople enjoy playing, creating,and working with their hands—this engagement fosters openconversation throughout theprocess.Interview with the residents of the projectHof der Kulturen, Rimon Alyagon Darr,Chingis Azydov, Mariochukwu Gilbert andDunia SahirHow did you first learn about the Hofder Kulturen(HdK) residency?Dunia Sahir:I am not sure exactly if I knewabout HdK directly before the open callfor the residency was published, but Idefinitely knew about Volkskundemuseumsince a bit and have been a big fan. I wasone of the kültürˇ gemma! residents in 2024and we would often meet in the beautifulyard of the Volkskundemuseum to discussour process. Some of the people at thecore of kültürˇ gemma! curated the festivalMEZEKR in September 2024 and us fellowshad the pleasure to show our works at thevenues of old Volkskundemuseum. That isalso how I met some of the people of theteam at the museum and started followingtheir work closer. One of them was Fabian,who curates the HdK!Mariochukwu Gilbert:I learned aboutthe residency through a friend who sharedthe open call with me. What immediatelystruck me was that it wasn’t just an artisticresidency; it was framed as a culturaldialogue. That felt important to me, becausemy own work has always existed at theintersection of art, food, and migrationstories.Rimon Alyagon Darr:A friend from theglass world sent me the open call post onInstagram.Chingis Azydov:My flatmate saw the call forapplications on Instagram and sent it to me.As soon as I read it, I knew I had to apply—itwas exactly what I needed to continue myfelting journey.What were your expectations beforebeginning your six-month residency?Rimon:Honestly, I came with very openexpectations as I didn’t know what to expect.I was hoping to have other craftspeoplearound to get inspired by.Chingis:I was expecting to get a big suitabletable, spacious working room and other stuffrequired for my work.Mariochukwu: I expected to be challenged.I knew stepping into this residency wouldpush me out of my comfort zone, askingme to slow down and reflect. My hope wasto create work that not only represents myculture, but also speaks across borders topeople who may have never tasted, smelled,or felt what Afro-Fusion means.What attracted you most to this particularproject?Rimon:I found the project’s approach trulyhonouring to craft by viewing it as a living,evolving entity. It raised many questionsin my mind, such as: What does localcraftsmanship mean in a globalized world?How does it relate to immigration? What docraftspeople from different disciplines havein common?Chingis:For me, it was a chance to bringto life the ideas I had envisioned overthe past few years—to experiment withnew techniques and, most importantly, toconnect with fellow artisans and artists,learning something new from each of them.Dunia:Certainly, one of the main factors isthe opportunity this project offers. Craftsare often left behind in numerous culturaland artistic institutions. I have witnessed