Volunteering #2

Yoko Seyama Saiyah

Last weekend Lumina was open to the public. Lumina it's a Festival of Light. That takes place all over Cascais, Portugal. This was my third year as a volunteer, but my first as an Artist Assistant. Therefore, I start doing transfers and I had the opportunity to meet so many artists. All of them were amazing and nice. And that was when I met Yoko Seyama for the first time. I shouldn't have been her assistant, but in the end, that was what I did. Honestly, I first thought that I wouldn't be doing anything, because the room was already ready for the exibition. However, so many things went wrong that we kept together, trying to figure out how to work. Of course, she was the one in stress. It was her work that was at risk.

She manage, with calm and solving problem by problem.

In the other years I didn't see how much work it was behind every piece of art. After all, in the past years I just dealt with public management, and I love that, but be part of behind the scenes, was absolutely amazing. Not only because Yoko was amazing and explain how everything work, but also because of other Artists Assistents, like Mariana, Raquel, Estela and Bárbara, the volunteers Carolina, Victoria and Diogo, and last but not least, everybody from Ocubo. 

Of course, it wasn't perfect. Not behind the scenes and not with public. 

As public you have the right to not like it; you have the right to tell that it was desappointing. But you don't have the right to tell to volunteers that we such. 

That's the problem of dealing with public. You have to know how to not feel hurt by their words.

Carolina was the one that suffer the most. And it was her first time working at Lumina, so... next year, she wouldn't come back... That's the less important impact. So, don't forget, words have impact on people lives. What you say matter, changes people, for the better or worse. 

In my case, I will be there next. Not only to volunteer, but also to deal with those people, and not let volunteers to feel bad about themselves. Carolina, is the happiest person I met doing volunteer, and she is also an amazing person. But what would public know about that?

If you where at Marina in Yoko exhibition, tell me what you thought of it on comments: good and bad. No matter what, your opinion matters to further works.