Dukkan Collective
Basem Tash
How can nostalgia and the sense of the familiar be reimagined through contemporary creative practices and spaces?
Dukkan is a multidisciplinary collective dedicated to cultivating and celebrating the visual culture and artistic expression of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Southwest Asia and North Africa (SWANA) regions. Inspired by the essence of a traditional dukkan—a shop offering an eclectic mix of goods and services—this project translates the concept into a dynamic platform existing across tangible, digital, and conceptual realms to spotlight Arab creativity.
At its core, Dukkan explores themes of memory, nostalgia, playfulness, and language, using them as touchstones to produce and curate works that reflect the Arab experience. Through an exclusive subscription program with quarterly releases, the collective offers unique publications, merchandise, and limited-edition memorabilia. Like a traditional dukkan, its offerings are varied and seemingly disparate, yet unified through cohesive visual branding and identity.
For its first release, Dukkan foregrounds nostalgia with The Aftertaste of Childhood—an exploration of the lingering sensory, emotional, and cultural imprints of early experiences. This theme examines how simple moments—flavors, sounds, objects, etc.—shape our identities and continue to resonate in today’s creative landscapes. Through this collection, Dukkan reflects on the indelible marks of childhood: the tastes that linger, the cultural echoes that persist, and the subtle emotional undercurrents that remain over time.
By rooting its concept in collective cultural threads, Dukkan creates a space where Arab creatives can showcase, celebrate, and connect. This evolving archive honors the past while building a vibrant, inclusive future for Arab artistic expression.