Material Stories

Starting Thursday 21 May, the Sursock Museum offers weekly guided tours of the new exhibition Material Stories, co-curated with the Beirut Museum of Art (BeMA).

Conceived in the context of the 65th anniversary of the Sursock Museum, this exhibition highlights the often-overlooked field of conservation-restoration by presenting ten case studies from the art collections of the Sursock Museum and the Ministry of Culture, placed under the care of BeMA. It pays tribute to conservator-restorers, the “invisible hands” who work behind the scenes to safeguard Lebanon’s artistic heritage for future generations.

The exhibition unfolds in two sections. The first considers: How is the condition of an artwork assessed? What methods enable the identification of its alterations and the agents responsible for its deterioration? The second section reflects on the rationale behind conservation interventions: Should restoration seek to recover an original state, or preserve the traces that bear witness to a work’s history? These decisions emerge from a delicate balance between scientific rigor and interpretative judgment, where each intervention becomes an act of safeguarding and transmission.

Co-curated by Karina El Helou and Clémence Cottard Hachem. In collaboration with the conservators-restorers: Kerstin Khalifé, Véronique Sorano, Naya Abou Rizk, Caroline Gelot, Ramia Obeid, Nathalie Hanna, Nayirie Keuteklian, Karl Kassouf, Ahmad Ghaddar.

The Sursock Museum, established in 1961, is a private institution with a public mission dedicated to modern and contemporary art in Beirut. The Museum houses a permanent collection of 1,600 works and objects and its conservation studio is a space for learning, scientific research, and practical work in conservation and exhibition preparation.

About BeMA: The Beirut Museum of Art is a platform dedicated to the transformative power of culture and creativity, advancing decentralization, professional training, engagement, and collaboration through its Beyond the Walls programs. The program and exhibition presented showcase newly restored artworks from the Ministry of Culture Collection.