After the devastating Beirut Port blast of 2020, the Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock Museum in Beirut was left in ruins. However, after extensive restoration efforts and support from various international organizations, the museum will finally reopen its doors on May 26, marking a significant milestone for the Lebanese cultural scene.
The reconstruction of the early 20th-century townhouse included replacing all windows, repairing doors, elevators, drop ceilings, and skylights, and restoring traditional wooden panels on the museum’s historical floor. Funding for the museum’s restoration was also provided by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas, the French Ministry of Culture, Agenzia Italiana Per la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo, and UNESCO-Li Beirut, among others, raising a total of $2,376,751.
Around 50 artworks were also restored, including two significant pieces, “Untitled (Consolation)” by Paul Guiragossian and a portrait of Nicolas Sursock by Kees Van Dongen. These were restored by the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
The museum’s reopening is an achievement in itself, symbolizing the city’s resilience and belief in the power of art and culture, especially during times of hardship. The director of the museum, Karina El-Helou, expressed that the reopening is not just a celebration of the museum but also the people who stayed and worked on it over the past few years, despite the economic collapse the country continues to face.
The Sursock Museum’s significance extends beyond being a museum. It represents the memory of Beirut and a country that has faced numerous crises in recent years. Its reopening is an opportunity to celebrate the museum’s and Beirut’s cultural scene’s endurance and resilience.
To mark its reopening, the museum has planned an ambitious program of five exhibitions, including “Je Suis Inculte! The Salon d’Automne and the National Canon,” “Beyond Ruptures: A Tentative Chronology,” “Earthy Praxis,” “Ejecta: Zad Moultaka,” and “Beirut Recollections.” These exhibitions aim to showcase the museum’s history and local socio-political events through works by prominent Lebanese artists.
In conclusion, the reopening of Beirut’s Sursock Museum marks a significant milestone in the city’s cultural scene’s history, representing the memory of Beirut and a country that has faced numerous crises. The museum’s restoration and reopening demonstrate the resilience of art and culture during challenging times and its ability to bring communities together.