The Curation by Nour Hassan

Nour Hassan

The Curation, formerly Radical Contemporary, is a Digital Curator and Podcast based between Cairo, Dubai & Jeddah. We curate everything from art, fashion, and design, to culture, wellness and tech to present you with only the best brands, founders, products and pioneers.

  1. 22 OCT

    Amina Debbiche & Nora Mansour: The Open Crate On Private Collections & Digital Legacy

    The Open Crate is a digital art platform launched by Amina Debbiche, a Tunisian art specialist and Nora Mansour, originally from Lebanon who previously worked with leading art and design entities like Art Basel and Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery.  In this episode the two co-founders share how The Open Crate grew from a printed catalog into a private, global platform that secures provenance, organizes collections, and opens access to context, education and insight on the art market in the MENASA region without compromising privacy. We explore themes of trust and resistance, the importance of heritage preservation through documentation, motherhood and entrepreneurship, fashion’s overlap with art, and The Open Crate's roadmap to future-proof archives. A few topics covered in this episode are: • Founder backgrounds from finance to cataloging • Why Dubai and the region needed digital structure • Turning point with a major Iranian collector Mohamed Afkhami • Privacy, trust, and resistance to online archives • Traits that win clients and sustain growth • Complementary roles and building while parenting • Art, fashion, design, and lifestyle as one ecosystem • Vision for Open Crate Lab and AI provenance • Training the next generation of art specialists • Routines that protect focus, energy, and creativity If you'd like to learn more follow The Open Crate on Instagram and as always, if you enjoyed this conversation, please share it, leave a review, and stay tuned for more curated voices from across art, fashion, and culture on The Curation Podcast hosted by Nour Hassan. Support the show

    52 min
  2. 24 SEPT

    Nour Solo [MM]: From Saudi to Egypt My Journey Through Culture, Creativity and Curation

    Nour Hassan shares her journey from growing up in Saudi Arabia to building The Curation, a platform celebrating art, fashion, design, and culture across the Middle East and beyond. • Born in Jeddah to an Egyptian family with Saudi roots, attending the British International School that shaped her worldview • Credits her international school experience for teaching critical thinking and instilling values of unity, diversity, and acceptance • Early creative passions included art, magazines, and creating collages that foreshadowed her future career • Chose to attend university in Egypt rather than London to reconnect with her Egyptian heritage • Studied architecture before switching to mass communication, with additional education at UCLA • Founded "Radical Contemporary" in 2018 to highlight young regional creatives, later rebranding to "The Curation" • Built a career as a stylist, creative director, producer, and writer featured in Harper's Bazaar, Elle, Vogue, and Forbes • Values being niche rather than mass market: "I am for those who get it, for the intellectuals and the girls who want to be smart" • Believes we're in "the era of curation" where personally selecting what defines you is essential • Morning wellness habits include waking up early once weekly and delaying coffee intake • Despite her social professional persona, values alone time for reading, thinking, and strategizing Make sure to follow @theCurationPodcast on Instagram, @NourHassan and @PilatesbyNour to stay updated on all available content, as well as The Curation podcast on all podcasting platforms and @The.Curation on TikTok. Support the show

    15 min
  3. 3 SEPT

    Rebecca Anne Proctor: From EIC to Independent Voice Reshaping Middle Eastern Art Dialogues

    What does it take to document a cultural renaissance? Rebecca Anne Proctor never planned to become a journalist, yet her natural curiosity and love for writing led her to the forefront of Middle Eastern art and cultural reporting during its most transformative period. Growing up between America and Italy with an artist mother and writer father, Rebecca's global perspective was shaped early. After completing studies in art history and Middle Eastern Islamic studies, a weekend trip to Beirut sparked a love affair with the region that turned a planned two-year stay into a 17-year immersion. Her timing couldn't have been more fortuitous – arriving just as major museums were opening, Christie's was establishing its Dubai presence, and regional art publications were emerging. From her first unpaid article for Business of Fashion to becoming Editor-in-Chief of Harper's Bazaar Art Arabia and Harper's Bazaar Interiors Arabia, Rebecca's journey reflects the region's own cultural evolution. She witnessed firsthand the establishment of the Mathaf Museum of Modern Arab Art, the reopening of cinemas in Saudi Arabia, and the dramatic shifts in how art and culture are supported across the Gulf. The conversation takes a particularly fascinating turn when Rebecca discusses co-authoring "Art in Saudi Arabia: A New Creative Economy" – the first comprehensive book about contemporary Saudi art during the kingdom's social transformation. She reveals the delicate balance required to present Saudi artists on their own terms while addressing Western concerns about art-washing and freedom of expression. "I was feeling frustrated because I thought reviews weren't really giving Saudi artists and creatives a real chance to speak and be visible on their own terms," she explains. Rebecca's career advice, born from her background as a trained ballerina, resonates beyond journalism: persist through challenges, maintain self-care practices, and remain open to unexpected opportunities. Now dividing her time between Rome and Dubai, her story exemplifies how building bridges between cultures can create something truly extraordinary. What cultural shifts are you witnessing that deserve deeper storytelling? Follow @rebeccaanneproctor on Instagram for more. Support the show

    53 min

Ratings & Reviews

4.6
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

The Curation, formerly Radical Contemporary, is a Digital Curator and Podcast based between Cairo, Dubai & Jeddah. We curate everything from art, fashion, and design, to culture, wellness and tech to present you with only the best brands, founders, products and pioneers.