September 23, 2025, 10 AM – 12 NOON

Many thanks to our this year’s fellow Ali Raid Najm from Babylon (Iraq) for his Memories Unsealed: A Cylinder Seal Making Workshop within the Studio Program at BAI | Berlin Artist Residency, Art School, Arts Incubator, and Live Online Courses & Classes. For his fellowship at the Berlin Art Institute he got a scholarship for participating in the CrossCulture Program (CCP) by ifa (Institute for Foreign Cultural Relations). BAI has been his host organization in 2025.

“In this workshop, participants are invited to reflect on their happiest memories and transform them into tangible, lasting forms through the ancient Mesopotamian practice of cylinder seals which is one of the earliest tools for documentation and personalization.

In today’s digital age, our memories often live only in fragile virtual clouds, vulnerable to deletion or loss. This workshop proposes an alternative: learning from ancient Mesopotamians who preserved their narratives in clay, while adapting the practice with modern iconography. The result is a deeply personal process that combines heritage with contemporary self-expression. This workshop is open to all creatives interested in Mesopotamian history and eager to explore hands-on methods of storytelling through art.” (Text by courtesy of Ali Raid Najm)

Participants will:

  • Gain knowledge of early Mesopotamian iconography and its historical significance.
  • Develop skills in translating personal memories into symbolic designs.
  • Explore self-expression through the intersection of heritage and contemporary creativity.
  • Practice designing, carving, and rolling their own cylinder seals.
  • Understand the cultural value of physical documentation across time.

Ali Raid Najm (b. 1998, Babylon, Iraq) is a cultural practitioner with over three years of experience designing and implementing creative workshops at the intersection of heritage, art, and community engagement. His practice explores how ancient cultural traditions can inspire contemporary creativity and self-expression.

“The CrossCulture Programme (CCP) funds 55 to 60 professionals and dedicated volunteers from over 40 countrieswith its CCP Fellowships. Fellows spend two to three months working with host organisations in Germany or CCP partner countries to broaden their expertise, build valuable networks and further develop their intercultural skills. In return, the host organisations benefit from the expertise, regional knowledge and networks of the CCP Fellows. Participants have the opportunity to take part in cross-cultural workshops, networking events and professional meetings organised by the CCP. The experience gained abroad will be integrated into the work of the Fellows’ home organisations upon their return.” (Text by courtesy of ifa)