Anastasia Shanaah
RUGBY,Warwickshire
Summary
Cultural Scholar with extensive experience in exhibitions and contemporary art from and about the SWANA region, seeking opportunities to contribute my expertise and research skills to the development exhibitions and programs within museums and galleries.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
8
8
years of post-secondary education
Work history
PhD Fellow
Aarhus University
Aarhus
2018.09 - Current
- Conducting research on "Politicisation Complex: On Politicisation of Exhibitions of Contemporary Art from and about the Middle East" under the guidance of supervisors Lotte Philipsen and Anthony Downey
- Designing and instructing an international elective course (BA, 2nd year) titled "Cultural approaches to Understanding the Middle East" with Maj Oerskov.
- Co-teaching "Art, Institutions, and Communication" (BA, 3rd year) alongside Andre Wang Hansen and Mette Bøgh Jensen.
- Launched and managed the department's Instagram account in 2018-2019.
- Published scholarly articles related to field exhibition studies.
- Presented research at various conferences, including "Museums in Arabia" at King's College, London, and "Breaking and Creating Boundaries in the Middle East" at The University of Helsinki, Finland.
- Conducted a research stay at UCL Qatar in February 2020 (recipient of Qatar Foundation grant for visiting scholars).
- Awarded research grants from Augustinus Fonden (17,000 DKK) and William Demant Fonden (10,000 DKK).
- Organized a PhD course on "The Politics of Visual Culture in the Middle East and Global South" in collaboration with Prof. Anthony Downey.
Freelancer
-
2014.12 - 2018.09
- Collaborated with cultural institutions, including Kunsthal Aarhus (Centre of the World installation) and ARoS Aarhus Art Museum Cabaret Crusades exhibition by Wael Shawky), demonstrating my practical experience in gallery settings.
- Assisted in the preparation of exhibitions, brochures, and catalogs, showcasing my curatorial and content development skills.
- Conducted negotiations with foreign embassies and artists, highlighting my and networking abilities.
- Organised presentations and exhibitions for cultural festivals, underscoring my event planning and project management competencies.
Assistant to the Art Director
DOX Center of Contemporary Art
Prague, Czech Republic
2013.12 - 2014.12
- Assisted in the preparation of exhibitions (for example, The Poster in the Clash of Ideologies 1914 – 2014, Modes of Democracy, Disabled by Normality). Gained hands-on experience in gallery operations, valuable for gallery-based roles.
- Edited entire catalogs for exhibitions in both Czech and English.
- Communicated with artists and assisted my colleagues in preparing side-events and educational programs for children.
- Curated a street performance by Palestinian artist Khaled Jarrar.
- Supported educational programs for children, emphasizing my commitment to public engagement.
Project Manager
Insaan: Czech-Arabic Centre for Cultural Dialogue
Prague, Czech Republic
2011.06 - 2013.12
- Planned and managed cultural projects.
- Maintained relations with external partners and donors.
- Drafted and translated operational documents.
Intern
Ayyam Gallery
London
2013.04 - 2013.06
- Supported gallery staff in exhibition preparation.
- Assisted visitors and clients.
Education
Master of Arts - Art History
Aarhus University
Aarhus, Denmark 2018.09 - 2020.08
Master of Arts - Art History
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
London 2012.09 - 2013.09
Bachelor of Arts - History
Moscow State University
Russia 2006.09 - 2011.07
Skills
Exhibition development (both theoretical and practical)
Project management, including organisation, coordination and successful project delivery)
Effective communication and presentation skills (in multiple languages)
Strong networking and diplomacy skills
International outlook
Social Media Management
Event planning
Attention to detail
Languages
English
Fluent
Russian
Native
Czech
Advanced
French
Intermediate
Arabic
Upper intermediate (B2)
Timeline
PhD Fellow
Aarhus University
2018.09 - Current
Master of Arts - Art History
Aarhus University
2018.09 - 2020.08
Freelancer
-
2014.12 - 2018.09
Assistant to the Art Director
DOX Center of Contemporary Art
2013.12 - 2014.12
Intern
Ayyam Gallery
2013.04 - 2013.06
Master of Arts - Art History
School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London
2012.09 - 2013.09
Project Manager
Insaan: Czech-Arabic Centre for Cultural Dialogue
2011.06 - 2013.12
Bachelor of Arts - History
Moscow State University
2006.09 - 2011.07