“Dutch directness was a relief, and a kind of healing”

Elena Melkumova, head of education at a contemporary art museum in Moscow, found herself drawn to the Netherlands after attending a conference in 2016. She enrolled in a master's degree in museology at the Reinwardt Academie of the AHK, drawn by the professional community and the way people talked about culture. In 2022, she returned to Amsterdam for an unspecified period and has since transitioned from the lighting industry to creating educational programs for lighting designers while working as an independent curator.

She describes herself as international, with a unique position between countries, and credits the Dutch directness for being a relief and a kind of healing. She advises taking a train to the dunes near the sea and highlights the Dutch people's physical activity and love for the outdoors. She would spend a day in Amsterdam, visiting the Stedelijk and Rijksmuseums, having lunch at a terrace, walking through the dunes, and watching a film at a neighborhood cinema.