A Journey Back to the Child Within: Inside Sarra Chaouach’s Installation about Hammam Lif

Some exhibitions start before you even see the art. For me, it began the moment I walked in the door.

Article by: Selim Cherif

What really got my attention was not one piece of art but everything around it. The exhibition in the frame of YDOUR collectif event was all set in a cool space called Ecurie during may 2026 where photography, music, and cinema all come together. There was a group of people learning how to write screenplays in one corner. Nearby some photography fans were talking about their ideas. There were records that people were looking at and some weird and wonderful things to buy. There was a little stage with musical instruments waiting for the evenings performers… At the back of the room Sarra Chaouach’s installation was just part of the whole scene.

“Sarra Chaouach’s Installation about Hammam Lif” Exhibition at l’Ecurie, Tunis. ©SC Photography

The whole place at the Ecurie space was full of energy. There were artists, students, musicians and visitors all hanging out together. It did not feel like an exhibition space. It felt like a community where everyone belonged. Sarra was right in the middle of it all smiling at everyone who came in. She has this smile that makes you feel welcome. As we walked around the installation talking about art and life, I got more and more interested in what she was doing. After looking at the art and taking it all in I sat down with her to learn more about the project.

Creating an Open Space for Play, Memory and Transformation

When I asked Sarra Chaouach about the exhibition she expressed that the space itself was a part of the idea.

“The space inspired me to make this installation” she said. “Lately I have been thinking about hope and play and things we make with our hands. These things are all connected to who we’re as people.”

The exhibition was made with FTCA Hammam Lif. It turned the space into something really personal. There were circles and bright colors and handmade things all mixed together. It all felt really natural and alive.

“The space is really me “ she said. “I love circles and colors. I felt right at home here. From the start we talked about how the art could work with the space and how to make it all feel natural.”

The exhibition is not a bunch of separate pieces of art. It is like a world of memories and feelings and experiences.

Honoring Those Who Leave a Mark

One of the things about the installation is how open it is to other people. Sarra Chaouach included drawings made by kids she worked with in her art classes. One of the kids, Ayoub who has autism had a huge impact on her.

“I believe we can change ourselves and each other,” she said.

“Ayoub changed me. When we drew together I saw him get more confident. At first he had trouble saying his brothers name… Over time he got better at expressing himself.”

She remembers one time when Ayoub’s mom told her that he kept saying her name because he wanted to come back to the drawing classes. That made her feel really happy. For Sarra, including people’s works is a way of saying thank you to those who impacted her life positively.

“Anyone who has had an impact on my life deserves to be honored. This installation is about them too.”

“Sarra Chaouach’s Installation about Hammam Lif” Exhibition at l’Ecurie, Tunis. ©SC Photography

The Child as a Permanent Companion

When you walk through the exhibition you can notice how much childhood is a part of it. There are toys and handmade things and fun pictures and textures that invite you to touch them. The installation feels like it is asking you to remember what it was like to be a kid.

When I asked Sarra Chaouach if the exhibition was a way of sincere talk to herself she smiled.

“The space made me think like a kid again “ she said. “I wanted to bring all the things that kids use to learn about the world like crafts and games and colors.”

She did not want to look back at the past passively, she wanted to see the world in a new way.

“I tried to connect with the kid inside me much as I could. What you see here is my world. It is also the world of the people around me. It is a space we can all share.”

Between Wonderland and Reality

There is one picture in the exhibition that really stands out: a woman making a funny face like a smiling duck. The picture is funny and youthful. It shows what the exhibition is all about. For Sarra references to things are also quite important.

“Alice in Wonderland is over the exhibition “ she said. “Alice was a part of my childhood imagination and she still influences me today.”

People who visited the exhibition really liked the stories behind the pictures. One visitor, Nour said that the pictures were her part because each one had a personal story. Those pictures together create poetry that shows how innocence can stay with us no matter how old we get.

The Red Suitcase and the Rejection of Materialism

There is one thing in the exhibition that’s really interesting: a small red suitcase lying upside down on some sand.

At first it looks like it is there by accident… It is actually a symbol of something. Sarra said she found that suitcase randomly when she was cleaning her room.

“I have always kept things from my childhood, and I collect things that might be useful to kids who visit me.” she said.“When I opened the suitcase I found Monopoly houses. Play money inside.”

“Sarra Chaouach’s Installation about Hammam Lif” Exhibition at l’Ecurie, Tunis. ©SC Photography

She did not feel nostalgic. She felt uncomfortable, and the gesture became part of the exhibition.

“These things represented a world of values that I did not want to pass on.

I turned the suitcase down and left it there.”

The upside-down suitcase is a rejection of the things that adults think are important. It is an invitation to think about what matters.

“I recreated what happened at home. Here it looks like a kid came to play in the sand and just left the suitcase there. The act itself became the art.”

The band playing during the event YDOUR at l’Ecurie, Tunis. ©SC Photography

The night ended also with films and music

As the evening came to a close jazz music was playing softly. The images from the short films were still in my mind.

When I left the space I felt like I had been part of something than just an exhibition. I felt like I had been part of a memory a celebration of play and generosity and emotional honesty.

Sarra Chaouach’s installation reminds us that the kid we once were is still inside us. That imaginative spirit is still there waiting to be found.

And maybe that is the important message of the exhibition: it is never too late to go back, to the magic of childhood.

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Interview released with :

• Mrs. Sarra Chaouach “Multidisciplinary Artist”

SELIM CHERIF

Originally published at MyArtMagazine brought by **ArTanit** on June 4th, 2026.