Art beyond the gallery: sooqbeirut at the 19th DIFC Art Nights, Dubai, UAE, Dubai

Every city has moments when its streets become more than places of transit, they become spaces of encounter, conversation, and discovery. During the 19th edition of DIFC Art Nights in April 2025, Dubai’s financial district once again transformed into an open-air cultural destination, welcoming thousands of visitors eager to experience contemporary art in one of the city’s most vibrant urban settings.

For sooqbeirut, this edition represented another opportunity to fulfil its mission of connecting audiences with exceptional artists from Lebanon and the wider Arab world. Curated around works that were bold, engaging and instantly memorable, the exhibition invited visitors to pause amidst the fast pace of DIFC and reconnect with creativity through colour, sculpture and storytelling.

From monumental sculptures greeting visitors at the entrance to a vibrant pop-art masterpiece that quickly became one of the most photographed artworks of the event, the exhibition demonstrated how art can effortlessly bridge cultures, spark conversations, and create shared experiences.

Art Meets the Heart of DIFC

DIFC Art Nights has established itself as one of Dubai’s most anticipated cultural events, bringing together galleries, artists, collectors and curious visitors within the unique setting of the Dubai International Financial Centre.

Unlike traditional gallery exhibitions, Art Nights allows art to live amongst restaurants, cafés, offices and public spaces. Business professionals discover artworks during their evening walk. Families explore sculptures after dinner. Tourists stumble upon installations while visiting the district.

This accessibility has always been one of the event’s greatest strengths.

Located in one of the busiest pedestrian areas of DIFC, sooqbeirut’s exhibition benefited from an exceptional location between two of Dubai’s most celebrated dining destinations, Avli by Tashas and LPM Restaurant & Bar. The continuous flow of visitors created a dynamic atmosphere where people naturally stopped, observed and engaged with the artworks.

Throughout the four-day event, countless conversations began not inside a gallery, but in the open streets of DIFC.

That spirit of discovery perfectly reflected sooqbeirut’s vision: making contemporary Arab art approachable, accessible and part of everyday life.

My Big Friends: A Celebration of Colour and Connection

At the heart of the exhibition stood one artwork that seemed impossible to ignore.

My Big Friends by Lebanese artist Bechara Baroudi immediately became a visual landmark during the exhibition.

Large in scale, unapologetically colourful and full of joyful energy, the painting embodied the language of contemporary pop art while remaining deeply human. Rather than relying on complex symbolism, the work communicated through emotion, humour and familiarity.

Visitors were naturally drawn towards it.

Many stopped from a distance simply because of its vibrant colours before gradually approaching to discover its playful details. Others photographed it against the lively backdrop of DIFC, making it one of the most shared artworks of the exhibition.

Children were fascinated by its cheerful composition, while adults often interpreted the work through the lens of friendship, community and human connection.

This ability to resonate with audiences of every generation is one of the defining characteristics of Bechara Baroudi’s artistic language.

His work reminds us that contemporary art does not always need to be difficult to understand. Sometimes it succeeds simply by making people smile.

Placed beside the bustling terraces of Avli and LPM, Big Friends became more than a painting, it became a meeting point.

People used it as a backdrop for photographs, paused to discuss its meaning with friends, and often returned later with family members who wanted to experience it themselves.

In many ways, the artwork embodied the social spirit of DIFC Art Nights itself.

Sculptures That Welcomed Every Visitor

While Big Friends captured attention through colour, visitors’ first encounter with sooqbeirut’s exhibition actually began several metres earlier.

Positioned prominently at the entrance were monumental sculptures by Lebanese sculptor Bassam Kyrillos.

Their presence immediately established a dialogue between architecture and art.

Strong yet contemplative, Bassam’s sculptures invited viewers to slow down before entering the exhibition space. Their carefully balanced forms reflected his ongoing exploration of memory, time and the traces left behind by human civilisation.

Unlike artworks that demand immediate interpretation, his sculptures encouraged quiet observation.

Throughout the exhibition it became evident that they served as natural gathering points.

Visitors paused beside them while waiting for friends.

Families photographed themselves alongside the sculptures.

Art enthusiasts spent several minutes studying the intricate surfaces and changing perspectives as daylight gradually transitioned into the illuminated evenings of DIFC.

The sculptures also demonstrated the power of public art.

Displayed outdoors against the backdrop of DIFC’s contemporary architecture, they created a compelling contrast between permanence and movement, tradition and modernity.

Their success confirmed that sculpture can become an integral part of an urban environment rather than simply an object displayed within it.

Conversations Beyond the Canvas

One of the most rewarding aspects of participating in DIFC Art Nights is the diversity of its audience.

Collectors, designers, architects, finance professionals, artists, students and tourists all encounter the same artworks through their own unique perspectives.

During the four-day exhibition, sooqbeirut welcomed visitors from across the UAE and beyond.

Some arrived with an extensive knowledge of contemporary Middle Eastern art.

Others admitted they had never previously entered an art gallery.

Yet the conversations that unfolded proved remarkably similar.

Questions quickly moved beyond technique and materials.

Visitors wanted to know the stories behind the artists.

They were curious about Lebanon’s contemporary art scene, the inspiration behind individual works, and the role that sooqbeirut plays in supporting regional creatives.

These discussions are central to sooqbeirut’s philosophy.

Each artwork represents not only an individual artist but also a wider cultural narrative that deserves to be shared with international audiences.

Art becomes a conversation rather than simply an object.

Representing Contemporary Arab Creativity

Since its inception, sooqbeirut has been committed to showcasing artists whose work reflects the richness and diversity of the Arab world.

Participating in DIFC Art Nights provides an ideal platform to introduce these artists to audiences who may be encountering them for the very first time.

Rather than presenting a single artistic style, the exhibition embraced diversity.

The vibrant pop-art language of Bechara Baroudi complemented the sculptural strength of Bassam Kyrillos, demonstrating the breadth of contemporary artistic practices emerging from Lebanon today.

Although different in medium and expression, both artists shared an ability to connect emotionally with viewers.

One through joyful colour.

The other through thoughtful form.

Together they created a balanced exhibition that appealed to experienced collectors while remaining accessible to casual visitors.

More Than an Exhibition

For sooqbeirut, every exhibition extends beyond displaying artworks.

It is an opportunity to create meaningful encounters between artists and audiences.

It is a chance to challenge perceptions about contemporary Arab art.

It is an invitation to discover stories that deserve greater visibility.

The overwhelming response to My Big Friends and Bassam Kyrillos’ sculptures reaffirmed something we have always believed: when thoughtfully curated and placed within welcoming public spaces, art naturally becomes part of everyday life.

Visitors do not need prior knowledge to appreciate creativity.

Curiosity is enough.

Looking Forward

The success of the 19th DIFC Art Nights became another important milestone in sooqbeirut’s journey of supporting artists from Lebanon and the wider region while building cultural connections within Dubai.

Watching thousands of visitors stop, smile, photograph, ask questions and engage with the artworks reminded us why these exhibitions matter.

They create moments of pause in an increasingly fast-moving world.

They encourage dialogue between strangers.

They celebrate creativity without barriers.

As the exhibition came to a close, the conversations it inspired continued long after the artworks were packed away.

That is perhaps the greatest achievement of public art, not simply being seen, but being remembered.

The 19th DIFC Art Nights was more than four days of exhibition.

It was four days of shared experiences, unexpected discoveries and meaningful human connection through art.

At sooqbeirut, we look forward to continuing that journey, one exhibition at a time.