12/02/2014
Le Souffleur, a found-objects museum on the top floor of a private house in Ain el-Mreisseh, reflects the fishing roots of the neighborhood, as well as the Najem family who curate it. Partially paralyzed in 1981 by a case of the bends during an attempt to investigate a sinking fishing boat, Ibrahim Najem now spends his days holding court in his stayha – 'terrace' in English – adorned with birds in cages, big gardenias, and jasmine, whose flowers perfume the air. I met him here for coffee and a chat about his collection; which, he boasts, is 40 years old.
He began his collection before the accident, amassing seashells from his dives and time spent on the beach. After Najem's paralysis, he expanded his purview to include antiques from all over the world, and his collection now boasts pieces from Syria, the Philippines, and Egypt as well as from Lebanon. Other souvenirs have been contributed from friends and visitors, or won at estate sales. Najem notes: "Some items belonged to friends and neighbors, while others were brought from deserted houses due to split families after the death of a parent, etc."
If the word 'museum' connotes some degree of organization, this hodge-podge collection can't exactly be described as such. Divided into three rooms, artifacts like old rifles, cameras, typing machines, radios, photographs of forgotten people, letters, and stamps lie buried in layer-after-layer. The weight of one layer often causes damage to those under it, just as in a real archeological site. But moving the artifacts, according to Najem, would be too big an investment. Besides, excavating is half the fun.
These days, Najem's nephew Wassim conducts tours of the premises. He's as equally enamored of the place as his eccentric uncle. They each hope that the museum's collection and reputation, and the personal and local history it embodies, will swell with each new Najem generation.
