“I remember everything except for the sound—I don't know why. But the rest... I remember the dust.”

These are the poignant words that open a new short film produced by R & Company to accompany Broomlithic, the solo exhibition of new work by Beirut-based Sayar & Garibeh currently on view at the New York gallery.

Stephanie Sayar and Charbel Garibeh have been partners, both personally and professionally, since 2014. Like thousands of others, the duo’s life was turned upside down in August 2020, when a massive explosion devastated the city of Beirut. Not only was Sayar and Garibeh’s studio and years’ worth of work destroyed in the blast, they were both hospitalized with injuries.

Through interviews and footage shot in Beirut and New York, R & Company’s film recounts Sayar and Charbel’s remarkable creative journey, revealing how their resilient spirit led them to double-down on their humanistic design approach and find serenity after tragedy by taking their work “back to basics.”

According to the film, Sayar and Charbel’s latest collection, Broomlithic, emerged unexpectedly from the couple’s first sketches after the explosion, as they returned to work in search of an escape back to peaceful normalcy.

Right away the broom motif emerged in the drawings—no doubt inspired by all the sweeping up they had to do in the aftermath. They also began to reflect on the arc of human history and the inspiring ingenuity that has defined our species at least since the Paleolithic era.

In the end, Sayar and Charbel’s Broomlithic collection—including seating, tables, and lighting—entwines raffia fibers as a symbol of cleansing renewal with the ancient strength embodied in Lebanese stone, resulting in an elegantly organic celebration of humanity’s enduring capacity for hope, innovation, and regeneration.

See for yourself! Take a moment to enjoy the Broomlithic video here: