Teacher Training in Fine Art and Design (DBKV Deeltijd) | Graduation Series 2025
When Malou Sumah (37) moved to Rotterdam to start her part-time education studies at WdKA, she already had experience working as an educator in museums, freelancing and developing educational programmes for museums with textile and fashion collections. She had even recently completed her first commissioned textile work and participated in exhibitions: her latest showing at the Allard Pierson Museum with her participation project Aan Tafel where she explores the meaning of gathering at the dinner table, part of an exhibition exploring food culture.
“I had designed and organized workshops in museums before,” she says, “but I wanted to be the one teaching the group. Studying at WdKA felt like the right step.” Through the programme, Malou also rediscovered an old love: textiles. She began making large patchwork wall pieces - tactile works that carry stories and emotion.
A Shift in Medium: From Fabric to Sound
While she is known for her textile work, Malou’s graduation project focuses on something less visible: sound. “I’ve always been drawn to audio,” she explains. “I used to record conversations with my grandmother, a Moluccan woman, just to hold onto those moments.” That practice of capturing personal histories now takes center stage in her final project.
Instead of a solo piece, Malou’s graduation work is a co-created audio tour for Huis Sonneveld, developed in collaboration with children aged 8 to 11. The tour is being developed as part of her internship at Het Nieuwe Instituut.
For five Sundays, she runs workshops with her young collaborators whom she calls the Verhalenvangers (Story Catchers). Together, they explore the museum through sound, imagination, and storytelling. “We’re not just making a tour,” she says. “We’re asking: When is something mine? When is it co-created? And what role do I play as an educator?”
Co-Creation as a Way of Working
The workshops are playful and open. “I love working with kids at this age,” Malou says. “They’re so honest, creative, and wild in their thinking. I try to give them a lot of freedom and see what excites them.”
A spoken word artist and foley sound designer also joined the project, helping the children develop their own soundscapes and stories. The final result will be twofold: an audiotour for the museum and an educational product centered on co-creation. Malou is planning to experiment with ambient music and synthesizers, blending documentary and artistry.
Growing Through the Process
Looking back, Malou says the journey has been both exciting and challenging. “Graduating felt overwhelming at first, especially since I’m doing it alone. A lot of part-time students in my programme work in groups. But I’ve learned to focus on joy and experimentation, and that’s been really freeing.” Despite her ambitious nature, she’s found comfort in the creative process. “I like working hard. And even though it’s the end of something, it also feels like a beginning.”
A Full Circle Moment
WdKA gave Malou more than technical skills. It helped her grow into her identity as a maker. “When I was younger, I dreamed of being an artist, but I didn’t dare to claim that title. Studying here brought me back to myself. I’m more confident now, and I believe in my work.”
She recalls the constant encouragement from teachers: Durven doen, durven geloven (Dare to do, dare to believe). “That really stuck with me.”
What’s Next?
Malou is full of ideas for the future. She’s considering a Master’s in Fine Art, something she never thought she’d have the confidence to pursue. “Now I feel like, why not?”
At the same time, she’s exploring new collaborations with museums and cultural institutions. “I’m entrepreneurial, I like initiating projects. I want to keep working in co-creation, especially outside of schools - with kids, neighbors, communities.”
She dreams of large-scale textile installations across Rotterdam, working in the spirit of artists like Amanda Browder and Mirga-Tas - artists who use fabric to connect people and places. “That’s the dream,” she says. “Turning the city into one big patchwork of stories.”
Advice for Future Students
“Stay close to yourself and try to have a lot of fun.” Malou says. “That’s the most important thing.”
