Where There is Uns by Joud Malhas and Rachel Antoun
The winner of the 11th edition of the Van Cleef & Arpels Middle East Emergent Designer Prize in partnership with Tashkeel, this light installation inspired by Gulf traditions reimagines the Bedouin practice of lighting fires to welcome travellers with warmth, shelter, and guidance. At the heart of the piece is cardamom, a nod to the traditional offering of Arabic coffee spiced with hail (cardamom). Discarded husks are repurposed into bioplastic sheets, highlighting a commitment to sustainability. Activated by proximity, the lamp’s glow intensifies as someone approaches – a poetic gesture of hospitality.
