Tunis Medina hosts Becoming the Ocean from 24 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 06:05 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- Tunis Medina will host Becoming the Ocean from 24 October to 22 November 2026.
- The exhibition at Quechlet El Attarine is part of Jaou Tunis 2026.
- Sixteen artists will present newly commissioned works at the historic nineteenth-century barracks.
- A two-day symposium linked to the exhibition is scheduled for 26 and 27 October 2026.
Tunis Medina (Médina de Tunis) will host the exhibition Becoming the Ocean from 24 October to 22 November 2026 as part of Jaou Tunis 2026 in Tunis. The presentation brings the Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement to Africa for the first time, with the exhibition installed at Quechlet El Attarine.
Sixteen artists will present newly commissioned works, linking an international contemporary art programme with a historic military building in the old city. The exhibition is co-produced by the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève and the Kamel Lazaar Foundation.
Becoming the Ocean opens at Quechlet El Attarine on 24 October
Jaou Tunis 2026 runs from 23 October to 22 November 2026 across cultural spaces in Tunis. Its principal exhibition, Becoming the Ocean, opens at Quechlet El Attarine on 24 October and remains on view until 22 November, according to the organiser’s exhibition listing.
The exhibition is curated by Lina Lazaar and Andrea Bellini. The participating artists come from Africa, the Arab world, Latin America, Asia and their diasporas, with the works examining separation, memory, migration, ecological change and technology. The Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement has previously been associated with Geneva, making this Tunis presentation its first edition outside Switzerland.
A related symposium is scheduled for 26 and 27 October 2026 at Le Rio. Its programme is arranged around four areas: international order, memory, intelligence and truth. The event gives the exhibition a discussion programme alongside its presentation of moving-image works.
A nineteenth-century barracks becomes an exhibition venue
Quechlet El Attarine is a former Ottoman military barracks dating from the nineteenth century. It stands in the centre of the historic quarter and is described as one of the better-preserved military buildings in the area.
The building has passed through several uses, including military and prison functions, education and cultural activity. That layered history gives the exhibition a specific setting rather than a neutral gallery space. The works will be shown inside a building whose own changes from military to cultural use mirror the exhibition’s focus on transformation.
The location and programme are confirmed in the report on the Tunis presentation, which names the venue, the dates and the sixteen participating artists. A second account describes the exhibition as the main presentation of Jaou Tunis 2026 and places it at Caserne El Attarine in the historic quarter.
Jaou Tunis connects contemporary art with Tunisian heritage
The wider Jaou Tunis programme includes exhibitions, performances, music, dance, public conversations and the Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement. For visitors, the relevant change during the period is the temporary use of Quechlet El Attarine as an exhibition venue from 24 October to 22 November 2026.
The organisers present the project as a collaboration between the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève and the Art Explora Foundation. After its Tunis presentation, Becoming the Ocean is scheduled to continue to other international locations, including Venice, Brussels, Geneva and London.
Visiting Tunis Medina: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Becoming the Ocean is scheduled at Quechlet El Attarine from 24 October to 22 November 2026.
- The venue is a former Ottoman military barracks in the centre of Tunis Medina, and the exhibition forms part of Jaou Tunis 2026.
- The related symposium takes place at Le Rio on 26 and 27 October 2026.
- The venue is within the historic quarter, where the exhibition setting combines a nineteenth-century building with newly commissioned contemporary works.
- The official languages of Tunisia include Arabic and French, and the national currency is the Tunisian dinar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Tunis Medina on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Tunis Medina
When does Becoming the Ocean take place at Tunis Medina?
The exhibition opens on 24 October 2026 and remains at Quechlet El Attarine until 22 November 2026.
What is being shown at Tunis Medina?
Sixteen artists will present newly commissioned works as part of the Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement during Jaou Tunis 2026.
Where is Tunis Medina and how do you get there?
It is the historic quarter of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. The exhibition venue is Quechlet El Attarine, a former Ottoman military barracks in the centre of the quarter.
