Gypsy in her soul, Sara Melki enjoys style mixing. She is known for her combinations of ethnic influences, refined materials and graphic cuts. Her elabo
BEIRUT: Hard-hit Lebanese might be struggling with soaring prices, food shortages and power cuts, but that did not stop the French Institute of Lebanon from pressing ahead with the country’s first comic book festival. Forty artists representing 14 nationalities came together to show their work, some combining music and drawing. Exhibits in French, Arabic and English were
Lebanese artist Afaf Zurayk shares memories of her illuminating teacher, Helen Khal, with Myrna Ayad. This account, part of our Remembering the Artist series, is based on their interview
The struggle to save Sursock Palace after Beirut blast
Updated / Sunday, 2 May 2021
07:00
Furniture and artworks were damaged in the Sursock Palace after the Beirut port explosion
The palace owned by the Lebanese and Anglo-Irish family, the Sursock Cochranes, suffered extensive damage to its building and artwork during the Beirut port blast last August, writes Hannah McCarthy.
The damage, caused by the 3,000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate which ignited last August at the port, has placed an enormous burden on a population of Beirut that was already struggling with economic and political meltdown.
Since 2019, when the economic situation in the country quickly deteriorated, Lebanese banks have imposed strict capital controls on their customers. As a result, the majority of the population (those without high-level political connections) have only been able to withdraw the equivalent of a few hundred dollars from their accounts, even after the port blast, which left 300,000 people hom