Dubai's DIFC transforms into open-air art gallery with over 50 sculptures

While Dubai's Museum of the Future is admired worldwide as an architectural masterpiece — a work of art in its own right — another burst of creativity is unfolding just a short distance away in the heart of DIFC.

The entire district has been transformed into an open-air gallery, with more than 50 sculptures placed across walkways, plazas, and open spaces. Visitors walking through DIFC can now see artworks from around the world as they move between offices, cafes, and restaurants, making the district feel like an outdoor museum.

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As you enter through the Gate Building, every few steps reveal a new sculpture. Some pieces sit beside polished towers, others stand near cafes, and many fill the shaded paths where people often pause to take photos. The mix of art and daily life makes the space feel open, calm, and easy to explore.

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Here is a walk-through of some of this year’s standout pieces displayed under the theme Enduring Forms.

Pearl’s guardian

Polish sculptor Jerzy Kędziora presented Pearl’s Guardian, a sculpture of a large eagle with its wings outstretched, perched atop a circular ring, with a smooth, pearl-like ball at the bottom. Set against the Emirates Towers, the scuplture'a detailed feathers and wide wings make the sculpture stand out in the open area at DIFC.

Celestial lens and sky lens

Nearby, the Celestial lens and sky lens by Unus Safardiar stand tall as a glass block. One side carries a textured, mosaic-like pattern inside the glass. The other side is smooth, curved, and reflective.

We The Future

Italian artist Elena Rede displays We The Future, a sculpture shaped like the head and neck of a horse, supported on two legs. The reduced form gives it a simple outline. The piece stands in an open plaza where visitors often walk around it to view it from various angles.

Shadow horses

Shadow horses by Anna Chekh is a stainless-steel sculpture made of three horse heads joined into one tall structure. The polished metal reflects DIFC’s towers, the sky, and passersby, creating changing visuals depending on where a viewer stands. Its height and finish make it a popular spot for photography.

Sculpture 01

Turkish artist Mert Ege Kose presents Sculpture 01, a metal piece featuring smooth curves and a clean, rounded form. Kose often works with aluminium and circular shapes, and this sculpture reflects that style. Its metallic surface picks up changing light, giving it different tones at different times of the day.

Rainbow baby

Ayla Turan’s Rainbow Baby stands out inside the park as a child-figure raising a bright rainbow arc overhead in its smooth white form. The sculpture captures a bold visual moment in the plaza.

Art meeting everyday life

Across DIFC, sculptures appear beside offices, restaurants, and open public areas. People walking to meetings and dinners pause to take a closer look. The open-air featuring makes it easy to visit at any time whether during a lunch break or a weekend outing.

With free entry and artworks placed across the district, the DIFC Sculpture Park adds a fresh visual experience to one of Dubai’s busiest locations. Until May 2026, DIFC will serve as both a financial centre and an outdoor art gallery.

SM Ayaz Zakir

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ayaz@khaleejtimes.com

SM Ayaz Zakir is a Senior Correspondent with a flair for extraordinary stories. His playground? Every corner of the UAE. He often ventures into remote corners of the country to capture compelling news and human interest stories.