Heavy rain engulfed Beirut yesterday, but all I could see was sunshine

Although I didn’t notice Zeid at first — the eye-popping works of art commanded my attention — we ended up chatting, and I discovered that the softly spoken young gentleman with fabulous hair was, in fact, Août’s founder and gallerist.

When Zeid invited me to view the private collection, I didn’t hesitate to accept. His bright personality and warmth mirrored our surroundings.

If I had seen the social media post or the article published on a regional English-language news platform I often visit, I would have known that Zeid created Août to honour his late father, who tragically lost his life in the Beirut Port explosion of August (‘Août’ in French). I would have also known that Zeid was another young talent who was planning to leave Lebanon for good. Instead, he shared it all with me in person and spoke of his decision to stay and open a gallery in an area that has suffered so terribly and endured the most intense pain, especially his own.

I cannot contemplate the amount of strength required to do what Zeid has done, but the result is a truly beautiful tribute — a place where kaleidoscopic dreams and fantasies set the tone.