Beirut explodes every now and then, often with tragic consequences. This past year, though, Lebanon witnessed a different and welcome kind of explosion: that of its contemporary arts scene. The opening of the Beirut Art Center, along with several smaller galleries such as The Running Horse – Contemporary Art Space and the Maqam Art Gallery, signals the development of Lebanon’s historically vibrant art market into a regional cultural center different from, but no less important than, the commerce-heavy hub of the United Arab Emirates. “It’s a completely different new market here,” said Joy Mardini, the manager at Naila Kunigk’s Espace Kettaneh Kunigk, the Beirut sister gallery of Munich’s Galerie Tanit. “It’s booming, in parallel with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar,” Mardini said, referencing the major arts institutions and fairs that have opened, or are planning to open, in the Gulf. The international auction house Christie’s opened a salesroom in Dubai
