Soksok parmi les couleurs, un voyage dans l'art libanais

The Sursock Museum has created the book “Soksok Among the Colors: A Journey Through Lebanese Art”, in collaboration with the Samandal Comics collective, to introduce young audiences to Lebanon’s modern artistic heritage. It features a selection of Lebanese artists represented both in the museum’s own collection and in others.

The book opens with an introduction on Lebanon’s archaeological heritage, written by the Directorate General of Antiquities. It also includes a timeline highlighting major artistic events in the country. In addition, a story illustrated by Samandal Comics follows the cat Soksok as it travels through sixteen artworks, allowing children to playfully discover different artistic practices.

At the end of the book, biographies and reproductions of original works offer readers a better understanding of the artists’ lives and careers. Finally, a coloring book, featuring, among others, works by the painter Willy Aractingi from the museum’s collection, accompanies the publication, providing an interactive activity for children. This project, funded by the Italian government through the Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo, a partner of the museum, was made possible thanks to its generous support.

Karina El Helou
Director of the Sursock Museum

The project also includes a series of workshops in public schools over the coming months, designed to bring the world of Lebanese art closer to students and teachers while fostering dialogue between heritage, education, and creativity.

Supported by the Italian government and AICS, this initiative reflects a shared commitment to cultural preservation and the education of younger generations.

The book will be available in French at the museum’s reception and shop starting Saturday, November 15, 2025, and later on in Arabic.

This book is supported by:                                    In partnership with:

Thanks to: 

Bruno Barmaki (translator), Rowina Bou-Harb (Sursock Museum), Liana De Rosa (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo), Zeina Fani (Directorate General of Antiquities), Dima Hamadeh (translator), Marie Helene Kassardjian (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo), Joseph Kai (Samandal Comics), Samar Karam (Directorate General of Antiquities), Karen Keyrouz (Samandal Comics), Sarkis Khoury (Directorate General of Antiquities), Fabrizio Marcelli (H.E. the Ambassador of Italy), Sheryhan Mohsen (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo), Alessandra Piermattei (Agenzia Italiana per la Cooperazione Allo Sviluppo), Ghassan Salem (Sursock Museum)