Keeping Sane: “How to Prioritise you and your Organisation’s Sanity” with Alia Al Senussi
Princess Alia Al-Senussi PHD is a maven, in the best sense - an expert who operates across the many overlapping sectors of the art-world to promote various cultural organisations in the arts and their intersectionality with business and diplomacy. She works with organisations including Art Basel, Milken Institute and Saudi Institute of Culture, as well as being on the board of the Showroom and the Tate Modern Advisory Council.
‘What you are feeling in this moment is grief. For the world you have lost, the life you have lost.’
Alia talked candidly about the deep anxiety she is feeling personally and that we all might be experiencing in different ways and suggested now is is a time to stop and think about the things that work for us. As someone who has always has believed deeply in community, the current Covid-19 coronavirus public health crisis is the antithesis of this. She says
‘entering month two I am thinking about my personal and professional life in art. What is my world going to look like, if I can’t travel. Congregating, convening, collaborating and conversations are so important; what happens when we can’t do that? Virtual viewing rooms and museum tours are great stop gaps - but what happens next?. How do we preserve the art-world is a huge source of concern to me.’
There was a moment in 2017 after the combined shocks of Trump and Brexit when Alia personally experienced great anxiety and depression, and says in some ways Coronavirus has been like that all over again. The single thing that healed her then was coming together with a group of women in the art world on the US Women’s march. So right now her advice is to think of moments when you can come together, even if virtually, to find a light at the end of the tunnel.
Equally, giving into your anxiety is also a way of keeping sane, allowing yourself to do the things you wouldn't think of as normal.
‘Some people are finding this a time of great productivity, for others it's ok not to do too much - it's an an extremely personal choice. Listen to yourself and think about what makes you feel calm right now. Listen your own point of anxiety and find your way in your own moment.’
Keeping sane is also about putting an end to certain destructive conversations and Alia alluded to some of the anti-china sentiment, videos and conspiracy theories being bandied about. Acknowledging that people are fearful and finding the most emotionally sound and sensitive ways to end these sort of anxiety inducing conversations is important. She advises making sure you have someone that really understands you. And while it is important to think about who needs you the most, you also need to have boundaries on taking on too much of other peoples anxieties.