ETG Information Session

Yes, this is another post about work, it is busy times at the museum and a lot going on. I actually really enjoy these fall months when the season is slowly gearing up.

I ended up recently delivering the Information Session to my fellow External Tour Guides, because of some last minute changes in the schedule. I was happy to do it though, as I enjoy spending time with this group, and I felt confident after the successful Members Preview tour.

I am really enjoying being this link between the museum and the ETG community, providing them with the support I was missing when I first started out as ETG myself.

The following day this image so suitably showed up on the random slideshow on my Frame TV:

I mean, who would've ever thought when I was studying art, that I would be standing in front of this and other masterpieces of this caliber, and tell it's stories! Oaw, I am so lucky.

¡ Viva Mexico !

We have some spectacular and historic loans at the museum at the moment, in a partnership between the LAD and the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico.
For example this Atlante from Chichen Itza, dating from the Maya culture, ca 900-1200. This sculptural innovation that appeared for the first time during the Maya period is designed to hold an altar or a lintel of a building in place.

We also have this theatre-type incense burner from the Teotihuacan culture, 0-650, full of details:

And this Anthropomorphic mask, also from the Teotihuacan culture, 200-900. Given the weight, this type of mask was probably not worn by living people. Maybe they were attached to larger sculptures or deity figures.

Another mask on loan is this Mayan mask, from 200-60, probably from a royal burial site. The Mayan rules were buried with masks to reproduce the face of the deceased.

The final loan is the biggest one, and maybe the most special one as it is the first time an Olmec monumental head has been brought to this region. No small feat considering this is a sculpture that weighs 5840 kg!

I had the pleasure of presenting this loan during some school engagement sessions a couple of weeks ago when we had a visit from the Spanish School of Abu Dhabi. I did it with a little bit of Spanish, can you believe! Since it was kids I thought, why not, they will see past any mistakes I made.

I Fablernas Värld

The Cartier exhibition which ran from November to March, proved a fantastic success when it came to visitors numbers. It had well over 250,000 visitors, a record-breaking figure for temporary exhibition visitation since museum opening.

I don't think though that this next exhibition will pull just as many visitors, nor that I will be delivering many tours in it. It is an exhibition which actually surprised me a lot in that I personally wasn't aware of the many different origins of our well-known fables, I have (again) learned so many new things, and I love that! Although it has proven popular to book for schools, otherwise I will probably not tour it much unfortunately.

The other day I delivered a tour in Swedish though, for my trusty SwedishLadies-group who always books a visit in each new exhibition.

All of them were old enough to remember this old children's tv show featuring anthropomorphic felt animal puppets, where each episode was based upon famous fables. It was made in the Netherlands, but was very popular in Sweden, where it was called 'In Fablernas Värld'.

We had a nice morning together, in the world of fabels!

A 24h Danish stopover

We had visitors again over the weekend, but only for a day. Lars and his girlfriend Nanna planned a stopover here in Abu Dhabi on their way home to Copenhagen from Sri Lanka. It was only for 24 hours, but it is amazing how much you can see and do in that time!

They both spent a few hours on our beach in the morning and walk about our neighbourhood. Then they came with me to the museum, as I had an External Tour to do (my last Cartier, *sniff*); and then we had lunch at the Museum Café before checking out the galleries together.

We continued into the city to show them Craft, and to have dinner there. 

 

We went back home fairly early so that they could have a few hours nap before it was time for their midnight departure to the airport.
Thank you for coming!

Trinity 100

Yesterday was the last day for the Cartier, Islamic arts and Modern Design exhibition that we have had at the museum since November. It has been an extremely popular exhibition, I guess the interest for jewellery is very universal. We have delivered many, many, many tours of this particular exhibition. Personally I count over 40 tours, which is very unusual for a temporary exhibition and I have really enjoyed all of these tours. It has indeed been a rather lovely exhibition to present with interesting stories and beautiful pieces.

Since I just had a big birthday, I decided to get myself a "souvenir" and something to remind me of all of these tours. I set my sights on a classic Cartier Trinity ring. This year it has been 100 years since it was first designed in 1924; so I thought it was a suited gift to myself, considering we both are celebrating!

Happy Birthday to me!

Favourite visitors

Lucas also really wanted to show Tove the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which of course warmed my heart, and came up to the museum during one of my working days. My late afternoon looked clear, but then I got a last-minute tour, so they started by exploring the galleries by themselves.

I was so pleased to discover that they took their time, and had only made it half way by the time I was finished with my day and could join them. I could show them some of my favourite pieces and explain to Tove what the museum is all about.

Found some nice photo spots here too, but honestly, it is hard not to take great photos under this amazing dome.

We decided to go up to the Art Lounge to have a small snack, and to enjoy the drone show. We were really in the best seats for that - what a view!

Last time I saw the drone show it was already dark outside, so I enjoyed seeing it like this, during the sunset. It was really pretty, all the upcoming institutions on Saadiyat Island. 

 

Kathleen joined us as well. Here with a projection of the mosque at the Abrahamic Family House behind us.

Such a beautiful evening! I so enjoyed!
Since Kathleen and I had worked all day, we left the young ones in the Art Lounge and went home before them. They had come in their own car, so they could drive themselves home later, but it made me really happy they wanted to stay and enjoy a bit further.

Special sightseeing

The last week Lucas was here he had company from his girlfriend Tove, who had been to New Zealand for Christmas with her family (on holiday) and decided to stop over here in Abu Dhabi on her way back home to Sweden. She only came to stay a few days, so there wasn't a lot of time to go explore but one thing she had said she really wanted to do though, was to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

So off we went! Twice in a month for me!

Tove got to borrow an abaya, and I took them around to have a look at all the beautiful details of the mosque. We came in the late afternoon, so right in the 'Golden Hour'.

We hit all the good photo spots.

Back to work

I almost felt like I was having a first day of school as well, going back to work again today for the first time in many, many weeks.
As I am taking the museum catwalk very seriously, I wore a new blouse and a new lipstick, and felt really fresh and happy.

I was really happy to be back, and it warmed my heart to hear everyone wish me welcome back too!
I had brought a whole bag full of small kex (chocolates) with me as a gift from Sweden.

Instead of leaving them all in the Education office (which is what people normally do) I decided to hand them out as I met people during the day, colleagues, VSA, security guards, cleaners and so on. I thought it was nicer with a more personal touch!

Assessment week

I spent all last week at the museum, and a few days this week, with concluding the training for the External Guides. It was time for their practical assessments, so each afternoon a group of them came to do their tours.

Our roles as instructors were to play their guests, all while at the same time assessing their knowledge, their group- and time management and how well they projected to the group.

I took down lots of notes to be able to do compare and do fair assessments across the board. It was a very long week as I went on 16 guided tours around the museum. But as heavy as that was, it was equally rewarding - and inspiring! Each guide brought me something, a new thought, a new connection, a new idea, a new perspective.
It was also an exercise in listening for me, usually being the one who is doing all the talking, ha ha!

I continue to be surprised at how much I actually thrive with all these different challenges and tasks this job keeps offering me: Enjoying delivering tours to school children? Bring it! Admin duties? Can! Training and supporting new guides? Yes please! What's next I wonder...

The essence of Dubai

The second night the group had a completely different experience to the desert, and had a luxurious dinner on a beach club on the palm. Absolutely stunning, with the white sand, the turquoise details in the furniture and the Dubai skyline as a view across the water.
A totally different set up than the previous evening, but both nights encompassed in their own way, the essence of Dubai.

There was a lot of kitchen staff, and they sure did a fantastic job. The guests got to taste a selection of courses from across all the restaurants at Atlantis, and it was delicious.

Welcome drinks at the ready!

This is just before the guests arrived, and then as the sun set, and the music became louder - they had the night of their life..! They ate and drank, enjoyed the entertainment and danced the night away in the sand to the music of the DJ! Another great, great night - and what an event to work at! Lucky me!

1001 nights

Last week I ventured away from both Abu Dhabi and the museum, and worked at a 2-day gig with a big group booking in Dubai. They had planned two very different evening events, the first one took place at a desert camp just outside Dubai. A really beautiful location!

The set up, for 1500 people..!

Here's almost the whole team, all Swedish chicks, and super pros. Such a dream team!

Beautiful welcome along the red carpet, by 8 camels and their carers.

What a feast the guests came out to! Like a scene from 1001 nights!

The guests could try henna, they could listen to oud playing, and enjoy traditional food. They also enjoyed amazing entertainment with belly dancers, traditional Emirati dancers, and the "twirling men" in all their glory, with lights and all! They all had such a good night! And so did we!