At the Heart of Tunis Medina, El Attarine Barracks Reopens its Doors
The El Attarine Barracks, located in the heart of Tunis Medina, has reopened its doors to transform into a vibrant space for art, a meeting place, dialogue, and discovery during the 10th edition of the "Dream City" event, from October 3 to 10, 2025.
Built in 1814 by Hammouda Pacha, this former military barracks ceased to be used for military purposes in 1881, before being converted into a public library, enriched with thousands of books and manuscripts from the Great Mosque of Zitouna and the schools of the medina. It later gave birth to what would become the National Library of Tunisia, the most important in the country. Today, under renovation and restoration, the site is reborn through contemporary art.
During Dream City, this historic site hosts cross-artistic experiences, combining immersive installations, bold documentaries, and collective creation workshops. It becomes a crossroads between artists, audiences, and visitors, a space that invites us to think differently about the world through art.
Nearly 10 artists, from varied cultural and aesthetic horizons, present sensitive, critical, and experimental works. Their creations explore themes such as identity, exile, collective memory, and the fractures of the contemporary world.
Among the flagship projects:
- "حزب فيسلوك / حزب فيسلايك" (The Face-look Party / Face-like Party) by Mouna Jemal and Wadie Maheri, which questions our relationship with identity in the era of social networks.
- "Shadharate El Aroussa" (Fragments of the Doll) by Selma and Sofiane Ouissi, which gives new life to the "Aroussa", the traditional clay doll, a symbol of feminine memory. The work takes the form of participatory workshops bringing together artisans from Sejnane and the public in a collective artistic experience.
Other creations pursue this committed dynamic:
- "We started by measuring the distance" by Basma Sharif, "Vide" by Raeda Saadeh, both exploring the themes of exile, distance, and daily resistance.
- "The System of Good" by Jumana Manna and Cecilia Sturheill, "To be continued..." by Sharif Waked, offer a reading that is both political and satirical of the current world.
- Works like "The Whiteness of Habiba" by Malek Gnaoui or "I couldn't see the moon (Chapter II)" by Fakhri El Ghezal adopt a poetic and introspective tone, exploring light, shadow, and personal memory.
Each work interacts with the volumes, walls, and history of the place, transforming the El Attarine Barracks into a narrative and living space. The building becomes an open artistic stage, where contemporary art awakens consciences, questions evidence, and proposes new perspectives on the world.
The 10th edition of Dream City continues until October 19, 2025, with 56 works from 22 countries, presented by 56 artists, including 8 Tunisians. The program includes performances, installations, concerts, choreographies, workshops, debates, and a space dedicated to children: "Kharbeka City".
