Majal Design School is bringing the endangered Baalbek tradition of Tarq embroidery into focus with Luminous Threads, an exhibition opening Oct. 9 at Beit Kanz as part of Creative Dialogues Beirut ’26.
Known for its intricate gold and silver metal threadwork, Tarq is a traditional form of embroidery that has been practiced in Baalbek for generations. Today, the craft is at risk of disappearing as fewer artisans continue to practice and pass on its techniques.
For Majal, the exhibition is part of a broader effort to use design education and research to document traditional crafts and explore their place in contemporary life.
“This exhibition is a result of a year of research, presented as an immersive experience where textile, sound and storytelling converge,” Yasmine Dabbous, Majal cofounder and the exhibition’s curator, explained.
She elaborated on the objective of the exhibition. “Instead of treating Tarq as a craft belonging to the past, we want to embed it in the future to ensure its preservation, hence the exhibition, where magical connections take place between designers and makers and where ideas for future collaborations blossom,” she said.
Majal is presenting the exhibition in collaboration with Creative Dialogues and Sage Archives, combining design, research and archival material to create a record of a tradition that remains part of Baalbek’s cultural identity.
“This project reflects Majal’s wider approach to design as a way of connecting education, cultural research and economic growth,” Pamela Mikhail Daher, Majal marketing manager, said.
Luminous Threads opens at Beit Kanz on Oct. 9 and will remain open to the public through Oct. 11 during Creative Dialogues Beirut ’26. Admission is free.
Majal Design School houses Lebanon’s first textile design certificate. It promotes a class-to-market approach, helping students reach their potential audiences way before they graduate.
Creative Dialogues, by YVT, is a multidisciplinary platform designed to connect emerging talents, established practitioners, and institutions across the Arab world’s creative industries.
Luminous Threads Exhibition
📍 Beit Kanz
🗓️ October 9
⏰ 8:30 PM – 11:00 PM
🎟️ Free admission