How the Former Princess of Libya is Reshaping Arab Art Globally

CairoScene

27-01-2025

In the global art scene, few figures are as uniquely positioned as the former princess of Libya. Drawing from her multicultural background, Dr. Alia Al-Senussi, PhD, has carved a distinct path as an art world advisor, developing a cross-cultural network that bridges regional talent with the international stage.
Al-Senussi's perspective was shaped by an early interest in international relations and politics - not just as governmental processes, but as forces that shape human experiences and connections. The aftermath of 9/11 solidified this interest when she witnessed efforts to reshape perceptions of Saudi Arabia through marketing campaigns. She realised that cultural understanding isn't built through direct statements but through lived experiences - through art, stories and shared heritage. This realisation of 'soft power' propelled her into the world of art and cultural diplomacy, where she now works to highlight Arab identity on a global level through its art.
What sets Al-Senussi apart is not only her position within the art ecosystem - it's the way she actively builds upon it. While speaking to CairoScene about her daily routine, she casually mentions a meeting the following afternoon with someone who reached out seeking career advice, just as she had done the day prior. Whether connecting artists with collectors, linking institutions such as the Grand Egyptian Museum with the right talent, or elevating Arab art onto the global stage, she is constantly in motion - a silent force shaping an ever-growing network that ensures Arab art and artists don't just exist in international spaces, but thrive.
Al-Senussi spoke with CairoScene about the role of cultural diplomacy in the art world, her mission to create a lasting ecosystem for Arab artists, and her words of advice for those looking to follow a similar path…
You mentioned previously that you have a special fondness for Cairo. Could you tell me more about that connection?
Alia Al-Senussi : My father's family is from Libya and part of the royal family there, so they were forced to leave in 1969 during Qaddafi's coup d'état. The majority of my father's family settled in Cairo.
My mother, on the other hand, grew up in Minnesota and attended a small liberal arts college called Macalester, which happened to be extremely international. There was a famous professor there, Professor Armajani, who was the uncle of the renowned artist Siah Armajani. He taught Middle East history at Macalester and had settled in Minneapolis-St. Paul. My mother took his class, became deeply interested in the Middle East, and decided to pursue her master's degree in Cairo.
After graduating, she moved to Cairo and fell in love with Egypt, its people, and what Cairo represented as a city. She met my father there, and the two of them travelled the world for a time while they were married. After I was born, my parents divorced, and my mother decided to move back to Cairo when I was just a few months old.
I grew up in Cairo until I was six years old. For the most part, though, I lived in Cairo with my paternal grandparents in the family house. I don't remember everything from that time, as I was a toddler, but I have pictures and, of course, stories from my mother. She talks about it often, and I've returned to Egypt many times over the years.
Cairo holds a unique and special place in my heart and life. It has had a profound influence on how I see the world. I would say that Cairo was the starting point of my emotional and intellectual understanding of identity - of who I was, who I am and who I want to be.
Could you tell us more about your journey into the arts?
Alia Al-Senussi: I studied International Relations and Middle East Studies at university, and because of my background - growing up all over the world, and experiencing different family circumstances - I've always felt like what you'd call a "third culture kid." When I first heard the term, I thought, 'Oh my God, that's me.'
I was always deeply interested in how identity translates - how you explain it, describe it and feel it. I've always felt split - half Libyan, half American - and yet, completely both. I'm very American, and I'm very Arab. But you can be both. I've always believed that you can be really however you feel you are.
After university, I moved to London. I flirted with the idea of entering the Foreign Service or investment banking. I even did a summer internship at Goldman Sachs, but it wasn't for me. Around that time, a friend's mom suggested I check out a new art project in Siwa, where artists were working closely with the local community.
At first, I was hesitant. I didn't work in the arts, and I didn't study art history. But I went to meet the gallerist behind the project, and they hired me as a project manager for a three-month contract.
Right after submitting my master's dissertation, I got on a plane to Cairo. I hadn't been back to Cairo in years since I'd grown up there. From there, I drove nine hours to Siwa. It's as close as you can get to Libya without actually being in Libya, and at the time, I'd never been to Libya.
There was something so romantic and powerful about the whole experience. Spending three weeks in this very traditional community, which had close ties to my paternal family, was incredibly moving. They all knew my heritage and my family and embraced me as part of their own. It was a pivotal point of my life to see how the arts impacted communities and people's understanding of one another. From then on, I was a complete and total convert to the art world, what art means, and what art can do.
I'm really curious about how your academic background, particularly your PhD in politics, has shaped your professional life, especially in your role as an art advisor.
Alia Al-Senussi: The reason I did the PhD is because I wanted to translate my professional life into an academic setting, into something that allows me to critique my own work and the work of the art world, the work that me and my colleagues do. And I don't mean critique in a negative sense. I mean critique intellectually and academically, asking questions like: What should one be doing? How does one do it? And, importantly, why does one do it?
The 'why' was a big part of the PhD process for me. Why do I know the things I know? That was a huge struggle with my advisor, who I love dearly - he's a wonderful man, but he made my life miserable for a few years. It was all about understanding the why. I would write things, and he pushed me to go deeper. I had to prove my knowledge and really dig into why things are the way they are.
So, it was really my professional life that made me want to do something more academically rigorous.
What characteristics do you look for in a project?
Alia Al-Senussi: I have to feel a personal connection to the space, the place, or the artist. Most of the time, I'm the one bringing in the artist, but sometimes it's artist-led. It also has to be something I believe in - ethically, morally, and in terms of its place in the art world.
Being half Arab, I've been deeply involved in the early developments of what's happening in the modern Middle East art scene. From the very beginning, I've been closely connected to pivotal moments, like when we first heard the announcement about Saudi Arabia's cultural initiatives or the Guggenheim collaboration. I've worked closely with Saudi projects since the early days of Edge of Arabia.
These projects mean a lot to me. I feel strongly about advancing these ecosystems and supporting the artists within them. At the same time, they offer the Western world a more nuanced understanding of who we are as Arabs, which I think is incredibly important.
And what did your role as a cultural consultant at the Grand Egyptian Museum involve?
Alia Al-Senussi: My work at the Grand Egyptian Museum was during that initial opening phase when they were just starting to open public spaces before the galleries were launched.
It's really about knowing how to matchmake. With GEM, I immediately thought of Sumayya Vally, who is a dear friend and collaborator in Saudi. I introduced her to the Saudi project as the inaugural artistic director for the Islamic Arts Biennale. Then, I thought how perfect she would be to work on this architectural marvel that is GEM. She helped me as we were kind of co-artistic directors or co-curatorial consultants, whatever the title was, for that project.
Then, there's Susan Hefuna, who I've known for almost 20 years, having worked with her in my very first job at the gallery after Siwa. Susan is an incredible artist I've stayed close to. She's very tied to Egyptian culture, working closely with craftspeople in woodworking, mashrabiya and hayamia. Who better to translate that to a contemporary setting at GEM while still speaking to ancient traditions than Susan?
It sounds like you're building an ecosystem where you're connecting people.
Alia Al-Senussi: Ecosystem is one of my favorite words to use in any setting when I talk about my work. The idea of an ecosystem is also about a community and bringing all these different elements together.
I work in the art world in a professional sense—I get paid for what I do—but I also work through various committees where I volunteer my time. For example, I'm the Global Co-Chair of the LACMA Ambassadors Board. Right now, we have to think very long and hard about what's happening in Los Angeles - the heartbreak and devastation - and how to translate our work internationally, while also thinking about the local community. What does LACMA mean to the international art world but also to the Los Angeles community?
It's about threading these things through - bringing them together not in competition, but as compatible elements of a diverse ecosystem. It's not about one person looking for resources and taking them away from another. Every element should work in harmony, where everyone is advancing toward the same goal: supporting artists. Artists are truly at the center of everything we do.
With my work at Art Basel, what I absolutely love is that we cherish and pride ourselves on galleries as our number one clients and elements of the ecosystem. This is because of the work they do to support artists and artists' estates. We deeply believe, and I deeply believe, that galleries are a key element in fostering artists, giving them space and a platform.
For me, the idea of the art world and its ecosystem has been a source of deep comfort over the years. Through political changes, moments of devastation, and even the disasters we face because of what we're doing to our planet, the art world has been something deeply helpful and hopeful for me.
What's a typical day like for you?
Alia Al-Senussi: My days vary depending on the art season. Right now, it's January, and like many, I'm on a fitness kick. My mornings usually start with waking up and giving myself a little time to do emails. Otherwise, I get anxious and nervous, and then the workout doesn't feel productive. I give myself that buffer to immediately answer WhatsApps and emails - though I should note that WhatsApp is increasingly invading my life as a professional communication tool, not just a social one. Answering those messages first helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed, so I can focus on my workout, which is not a normal part of my routine, it's just a January thing.
Mornings are generally for computer work, reading and more serious tasks. But my evenings are often filled with work too, whether it's art openings, gallery events, museum visits, or dinners and meetings. A lot of people think the art world is purely social and frivolous, but that's not true. The connections we make over a meal or during a meeting outside of a professional space are incredibly important. That personal interaction is a key part of what I do, and I always try to explain that to people who might misunderstand.
Building ecosystems requires maintaining personal relationships, not just surface-level connections, and relationship building and maintenance are huge parts of my work. And while it's a lot of fun, it's also very meaningful. I love the people I get to interact with.
Since you've been back a few times, how have you seen the contemporary art scene in Cairo evolve?
Alia Al-Senussi: My understanding of Cairo's contemporary art scene comes from my personal and professional connections. I've gained insight into what's happening in Cairo and Alexandria, particularly through events like Art Basel and Art D'Egypte. There's not much local government or institutional support for contemporary art in Egypt, but there are amazing artists and individuals working tirelessly to promote the scene. Cairo's contemporary art world, while facing challenges, continues to thrive due to the efforts of these dedicated people.
What advice do you have for young people looking to break into the arts, especially for those who, like you, might not have had an academic background in the arts?
Alia Al-Senussi: I always say that you need to show up. That's my number one rule: you need to attend things. Go to meetings, go to openings, and educate yourself on the art world simply by being present. You don't need an academic background in the arts. You don't need to study art history. I certainly didn't, and I'm not an art historian or a traditional curator now. Instead, it's about understanding the art world through osmosis.
I'd also say, go after things - write to people, find those you want to connect with. I get so many messages on LinkedIn or email. Just yesterday, I had one, and I have another tomorrow, from young people wanting to understand how to make a path in the art world. When you reach out, go into those conversations with intelligence. Don't just ask, 'What do I do?' Do your research, come up with intelligent questions, and bring examples. People want to hear your story, but you have to approach it thoughtfully.
The number one thing, though, is about reliability. Take advantage of the opportunities in your city. Some cities have more than others, but every city has some kind of art scene. Show up, take those chances, and immerse yourself.
Now, looking ahead, what do you hope for the contemporary art scene in the MENA region in the next 10 years?
Alia Al-Senussi: What makes me so hopeful about what's happening in the MENA region, and what has been happening since day one, or even day minus one, is the presence of extraordinary artists. They are the central building blocks, the nexus of everything: of what you do, of how you build an arts ecosystem. We are thankful, grateful, and lucky to have that foundation.
From there, it's about building on this foundation: supporting these artists, allowing them to make a livelihood from their work, from the joy and intellectual interpretations they bring us. These artists help us navigate our daily lives, especially in a region that experiences extremely difficult moments. With so many people suffering - physically, mentally and in other ways - these artists have been vital, not just to me but to so many others, in helping us through those struggles.
We need more collectors. We need more support. People need to buy that work. We need people to open private museums. We need patrons who will give, host, and actively support projects. That's what I would love to see develop more.