Magical Grand Sofar Hotel Open To Public For The First Time Since The Civil War
Lebanon is littered with abandoned buildings and heritage sites that are routinely sold off to the biggest investor, a practice that has cost us so much of our country’s history. It’s heartwarming to see that there are people who are still fighting to revive cultural sites that are irreplaceable.
Opened in 1892, Sofar’s Grand Hotel housed Lebanon’s first casino. It was a hub of luxury and sophistication luring the business of kings, emirs, artists, and politicians; if the walls of the hotel’s 75 rooms could talk, they would spill secrets of political deals and celebrity gossip.
An unfortunate victim of the civil war, the hotel was looted and closed off for decades until this past Sunday when the Beirut-based British artist Tom Young launched his latest enchanting exhibition entitled The Grand Sofar Hotel comprising forty artworks on canvas.
The site-specific artworks take patrons on a trip down memory lane and transports them to a time when the hotel was bursting with visitors and glamour; it brings to life the empty rooms. Young, who is well know for his interest in conserving Lebanon’s historic sites (most notably The Rose House where he previously exhibited), engages with the different rooms in the hotel by bringing to life stills that invoke narratives of what could have been happening behind closed doors.
Under the care of one of the owners of the hotel, Roderick Sursock Cochrane, the hotel is now being carefully restored. By displaying his art at this location, Young is allowing the public to peer into this magical estate and hopefully generate enough public interest around it to transform it into a permanent cultural landmark.
Curated by Noor Haydar, production designer Tarek Mourad. The Grand Sofar Hotel exhibition is a must-see for people of all ages.
Running until October 14 (every day except Mondays) the exhibition is also hosting some really cool events, notably:
A story-telling event by Cliffhangers: Saturday September 29
Film screening: Sunday October 7
Closing party with Beirut Groove Collective: Sunday October 14
For the program and more details on this event, click here.
