Creative Encounter: Create With Courage

A reflection on Counterpoints’ Refugee Week printmaking workshop at Southbank Centre by artist and facilitator, Sydney Sobel.

The relaxed lino-printing workshop took place in June, and was guided by artist and printmaker Zafeerah Heesambee, whose practice explores memory, identity and joy. The session was accompanied by live music from Bassel Hariri, who creates an evolving live-loop soundscape, exploring the workshop’s themes of courage and collaboration.

Reflections

“For me, this was less an event than a living atmosphere, shaped by sound, material, gesture, and human presence. What made it so meaningful was the way people could engage through different senses and different forms of participation. As participants carved and printed, we as musicians stayed in dialogue with the room, at times recording stories and weaving them live into the ambient soundscape as the workshop unfolded. There was something deeply affirming in hearing those voices become part of the space itself. The whole experience felt deeply aligned with Refugee Week’s theme of Courage: an invitation to create, to trust the process, and to encounter one another through openness rather than certainty.” Bassel Hariri

In my excitement for the upcoming evening, I arrived at The Clore Ballroom in Southbank Centre at 3.30pm, 30 minutes early. Bassel Hariri and Julian aka Rainbow Conspiracy are in the middle of their sound check. It’s my first time hearing either of them play and to pass the extra time, I enjoy their music that intermittently floods the cafe. I’m here as an art facilitator for Zafeerah’s lino cutting workshop titled Creative Encounters: Create with Courage. This workshop has been organised as a joint effort between Counterpoints, Southbank Centre, Zafeerah, and Bassel for Refugee Week. This year’s Refugee Week theme is Courage and Counterpoints has created an incredible series of events at Southbank Centre and elsewhere to celebrate. The event doesn’t begin until 6, but I have come to assist with any last-minute preparations for the workshop. However, as I ask what I can do, the Southbank Centre team looks around and says that they have almost finished setting up, which means I get to continue listening to the music and chatting with Zafeerah about her practice of using art for “healing, resistance and power for communities.

“At the core of my practice is creating spaces for gathering in an accessible way, while being true to my values politically. I’m grateful for the space we were able to create together for Refugee Week, it was really beautiful to bring together printmaking with live music while exploring ‘Courage.’ In the face of rising fascism, ongoing displacement and violence inflicted on the global south, these spaces feel continually necessary.” Zafeerah Heesambee

The room has a stage in the middle that Zafeerah will host from. Just below, there is a beautiful piano and an expansive network of wires for Rainbow Conspiracy’s production with Bassel Hariri, who has brought both an acoustic and electric violin that hint at the beautiful performance to come. The workshop tables are all circular and host between 10-12 people a piece. They’ve accounted for 160 people and even still, we bring in an extra table to make room for the runover that later ensues. To the edge of the room is a welcoming display by the National Poetry Library, the library is accessible to all and can be found at Southbank Centre. They have brought a selection of poems from their collection that suits the theme of the evening.

At 5.50pm, the team of facilitators, hosts, musicians, and photographers meet for one final confirmation of the time table. The following two and a half hours have been meticulously planned to ensure that the event is enjoyable and memorable for the artist and the audience. By the time guests begin to enter the space, there is a long queue that I can’t see the end of from where I am. Dijana and I look on, amazed at the turn-out that ends up coming to about 170 people. It’s an incredible start to Refugee Week. Zafeerah welcomes the audience with Bassel. She is a warm host who has a presence that both fills the space and makes the audience feel safe in her hands. Zafeerah and Bassel discuss what courageous acts inspire them. Zafeerah speaks about the people in Gaza and Sudan and how their courage is an inspiration to us all, while Bassel mentions the older woman at his gym that is always there no matter when he goes. The different examples create a well balanced understanding of courage that showcases the various ways the audience are welcomed to interpret the theme.

The workshop starts with a two minute, timed, one-line drawing of your neighbour. Immediately, the room erupts in giggles and it dances with the soundscape of ambient music and tweeting birds created by Rainbow Conspiracy for this event. Then, Zafeerah asks everyone to draw an animal or plant that reminds you of courage. There’s a mix of lions, bees, elephants, and a surprising amount of cacti. The next round is to tell a story about courage, while you draw it. This is followed by our final two minute warm-up prompt, “What does courage mean to you?”

“The concept of courage for me isn’t just the big leaps but everything in between: the small acts we take every day to overcome ourselves and our fears. I see it in everyone around me, and noticing it inspires more of it in me – the push to get up and just do the thing. I had fairly limited time to [prepare] for this show, so performing it was a leap of faith, adapting & trusting the
outcome would be positive. And it was. Faith and courage really go hand in hand, and kinda like a muscle, the more you practise it, the better you become at it.” Rainbow Conspiracy

We pivot from drawing to lino-cutting. Zafeerah gives a short and clear explanation of how to lino-cut safely. Throughout the tutorial, people eagerly cut away at the rubber to reveal their unique designs of what courage means to them. During the next 45 minutes, the soundscape that subtly floated through the air during the drawing portion grows and morphs into a complex production that engulfs the room. It settles everyone down and encourages people to enjoy and revel in their projects. Before the end of the allotted carving time, people begin to bring their work to the printing station and ask if they can start. They have the option between a phthalo like blue or a deep and bright orange. They each looked shocked and excited as they peel the paper off their stamp to reveal their image. I became addicted to seeing the first print by a person. Their hesitant hands and furrowed brows morph into big eyes and a pleased smile as they hold their prints with pride.

There is a short 15 minute break in the action where we listen to a live performance by Bassel and Rainbow Conspiracy. The original piece is dynamic and emotional. You can’t help but be drawn in by the soothing and moving sounds of the violin, piano, and production. It was an encouraging break that we were lucky to have. The rest of the workshop involves filtering people through the printing station and ensuring that everyone has a print they are happy with. As people trickle out of the space and into the night, all of us take a deep breath. We debrief with one another on how much of a success it was and how lovely it was to collaborate with one another.

Over the course of the next week, we all remarked on how incredible of an experience it was to bring this workshop to life. The world is feeling ever more tumultuous and having these public spaces where people can share their emotions with one another and provide support is invaluable. I’m forever hopeful that we can continue to band together to create these beautiful moments. I can’t express how special it was to see these different groups and artists support one another to embrace Refugee Week. Please be sure to keep your eye out for future workshops by Zafeerah and performances by Bassel and Rainbow Conspiracy, I have linked their information below. Thank you again to Counterpoints and Southbank Centre for making this event possible.