Minyar Dhahbi on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Minyar Dhahbi and have shared our conversation below.

Minyar, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
What I’m most proud of building that nobody sees is the culture itself the environment and mindset around art. I saw a scene I didn’t believe in, one that felt disconnected from creativity and genuine expression. So I decided to build something new: a culture, a movement, a vision of what I think art should be. It’s not just about creating works it’s about shaping attitudes, inspiring curiosity, and giving people a space where creativity and freedom can truly thrive.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Minyar, an architect, urban designer, artist, and educator from Tunisia, and the founder of ReTunis. My work sits at the intersection of design, art, and community, where I explore how creativity can transform both people and spaces. ReTunis is more than a project it’s a movement, a culture I’m building around what I believe art should be: interactive, educational, and socially engaged. By combining urban design principles, traditional crafts, and underground art, we create workshops, exhibitions, and public projects that shape the next generation of artists and reconnect communities with their cultural heritage. Right now, I’m focused on expanding ReTunis to make art more accessible, inspiring, and impactful across Tunisia.”

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I was, I was fire and feeling, restless and rebellious, carrying a heart that felt too much. I was deeply empathetic, moved by the unseen struggles of people, the silences that weighed heavy on streets, homes, and hearts. I questioned everything I was told, everything I was expected to be. I wanted to create, to shape, to imagine a world that didn’t yet exist a world where art could breathe, where creativity could be a force of freedom, reflection, and connection. I wanted to build spaces where expression wasn’t constrained by rules or expectations, where the invisible threads of culture, emotion, and humanity could intertwine and grow. That version of myself, before the labels, before the boundaries, is still the one who guides me, who drives me to create a culture, a movement, and a vision of what art and life could truly be.

When did you last change your mind about something important?
I think the most important shift in my mindset happened when I began to truly believe in collective intelligence. For a long time, I felt that creation was something deeply personal a battle between the self and the world. But over time, through teaching, collaborating, and building ReTunis, I realized that real creativity thrives in connection. Ideas grow richer when they’re shared, when different minds and souls collide and build on one another. I no longer see art as an individual act of expression, but as a collective language
one that belongs to everyone who dares to feel, question, and create. Believing in collective intelligence has changed the way I work, teach, and even see the future of art itself.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
The belief I’m committed to, no matter how long it takes, is that art can truly influence society. I have a vision as an artist, educator, architect, and urban designer that by combining all these tools, we can collectively reshape mindsets, transform communities, and spark cultural evolution. Through ReTunis and my work, I strive to show that art is not just a form of expression, but a force for social change, a way to challenge norms, awaken curiosity, and inspire generations. It’s a long journey, but every workshop, every public project, every dialogue brings that vision closer to reality.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If immortality were real, what would you build?
If immortality were real, I would build a living, breathing culture of creativity a space where art, education, and community could evolve endlessly. I would create cities and environments designed to inspire curiosity and imagination, where knowledge, emotion, and expression are shared freely across generations. I would build not monuments, but movements: networks of artists, thinkers, and creators who collaborate to shape society, challenge norms, and nurture empathy. A world where every creation, every idea, every voice could continue to grow, connect, and transform without the limits of time.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/re.tunis/

Image Credits
Minyar Dhahbi