With the idea of engaging in a workshop format on the topic of domesticity within the precarious and uncertain living conditions of Asylum Seekers’ Centers, we held several
meetings with Stichting de Vrolijkheid. This organization is a network of artists, facilitators, volunteers, children, young people, and parents who run workshops and art projects at Asylum Seekers’ Centers in the Netherlands. Together, we discussed our plans, considered possible scenarios, and formulated our approach.

However, stepping into that space and meeting people directly felt as though everything had shifted. Moments of Familiarity became a set of workshops we co-created with the participants, without a strict program or schedule. Through simple exercises, the workshops create a space to reflect on what intimacy means, how it can be unraveled, and its profound importance in everyday life – even in the context of survival amidst restrictions and controls. While we arrived with a few initial guidelines to structure the workshop, we found ourselves following rather than guiding, allowing the participants to shape the process. We aimed to create a space comfortable enough to encourage expression and the possibility of reimagining home.