Have you ever wondered what some of your favourite female figures get up to each day? MOJEH’s A Day In The Life series follows some of the region’s most influential female movers and shakers, from business owners and entrepreneurs to fashion designers and art gallery owners. This week we’re talking to Alia Al Shamsi – an Emirati-Italian illustrator, author, poet and photographer, and one of the most revered cultural figures in the region.
Not only did she welcome Pope Francis and present the UAE’s leaders to him in Italian at the Presidential Palace in Abu Dhabi last year, Alia Al Shamsi was the youngest photographer to participate in the Photographic Biennale in Italy in 2005, alongside art masters such as like Cindy Sherman.
Now acting cultural programming manager at Louvre Abu Dhabi, Alia juggles her time with her passion projects, and has just released her newest book written in both English and Arabic.
I wake up at…
During the week I wake up at 6:30am, get my son out of bed and let our pet Pomeranian out in the garden.
My morning routine normally consists of…
First up is my morning latte with almond milk, an espresso shot and honey. I replaced sugar with honey on a trip to LA two years ago and have found it beneficial to my health, too. I love to take a minute to myself while drinking it in my little library watching the sunlight pour into the room. I always do some morning yoga and meditation to slowly ease into the day, while my son leaves to school or starts his online learning.
Next it’s a quick email check – I find it helpful to do this before the daily grind of online meetings. I water the plants and feed the dog before I do a bit of reading as I wait for our team meeting to kickstart the day.
On days that I have more time, I go for early morning walks to a neighbouring café and have a second cup of coffee before starting work. I find my walks de-stressing, specifically during peak season or when I have an idea for a story or poem I want to develop.
Instagram/aliaalshamsi
I’m responsible for…
In my role of cultural programming manager at Louvre Abu Dhabi, I am responsible for coming up with a cultural programme that reflects the museum’s collection and international exhibitions, creating an interactive experience for the visitor whether online or on site such as performances, talks, symposiums and other activities like yoga and kayaking at the museum.
I am also an author and artist and as soon as my work day ends, my other work day starts with my passion projects. Weekends are also dedicated to furthering those projects.
My typical day…
As I still work remotely and only go to the museum once or twice a week, my day is filled with meetings ensuring the programmes are ongoing. I also spend a lot of time preparing the next season of events and exhibitions.
Instagram/aliaalshamsi
The typical Alia Al Shamsi wardrobe consists of…
Now that I am working remotely, I got for comfort. This includes a shirt and comfortable track pants. At the days I am in the museum I pair these with flats or boots – I do a lot of walking in the galleries and heels are wonderful but not ideal unless we have official visits.
My go-to beauty look for the 9-5 looks like…
I go for organic beauty products and have recently discovered oils. Since lockdown I’ve replaced heavy makeup with concealer, winged eye liner and occasional red lips for more official meetings.
For lunch I eat…
I love Italian food like pasta, and I eat a lot of fruit. I eat two or three meals a day (I sometimes skip breakfast for another latte) and am not big on in-between meals.
What I love most about my job is…
The creativity that comes from working within the arts. It feeds into my passion project and storytelling. It is all linked together – whether I am working with the museum art collection’s narrative or my own narrative, it’s all about storytelling.
And what I enjoy the least is…
I miss being at the museum and can’t wait to go back to working full time.
When I get home I…
Do some yoga, then I usually spend time with my son and go for walks, play board games or watch a movie. As I live close to the beach, I love going for walks and watching the sunset.
I am also currently mentoring students, so I spend some time with my mentorees, checking in on their progress. I also spend a bit of time on social media – I use my platforms as ways to bounce off ideas, and discussions happen on some of my posted articles. It’s a phenomenal way of continuing to learn and to seek new insight and perspectives. I journal and meditate before going to sleep.
Instagram/aliaalshamsi
I couldn’t live without…
Books, my notebook and a pen. I’m an artist and author so I need my inspiration and a place to jot down ideas before transforming them into artworks and stories. I am old school when it comes to writing, I always start writing on paper before typing it on the computer.
When I feel stressed I…
Meditate, walk and sketch. I lose myself when I do art or write, nothing exists but the world I am creating.
If I wasn’t in my current position, I would be…
I love what I do and the only other profession I enjoy as much as working at the museum is teaching at university.
Read Next: Six Abu Dhabi Cultural Sites To Revisit (And What To Know Before Returning)
- Compiled by Naomi Chadderton
