Against The Clock: Artist And Curator Sumayyah Al Suwaidi On The Art Of Doing It All

Time doesn’t stop for Emirati artist and curator Sumayyah Al Suwaidi. And, while wearing a Vacheron Constantin watch, she shows us that neither does she

Sumayyah Al Suwaidi will never be too old for cartoons. The seasoned careerwoman may have over two decades of experience as an artist, curator, and fashion designer under her belt – accumulated alongside the ever-present demands of being a wife and a mother – but she still finds a way to get in her old-school Looney Tunes fix.

“If you come to my office, you’d find [images of] very old cartoons and characters,” the Abu Dhabi-based creative shares. “These characters remind me of my childhood, remind me of the young Sumayyah, the fun, energetic one who doesn’t have any worries and is not thinking of real-life responsibilities.”

This nostalgia is one of the many reasons she was drawn to the world of digital art, where time is malleable. Known for her surrealist approach to photography, in which she manipulates mundane scenes into striking oeuvres filled with unexpected colours, imagery, and emotion, all crafted using a computer powered paintbrush, she turns to her craft as a portal to elsewhere: the past, the future; some far-off place of her own design.

“My thoughts jump to another universe, and that’s how my artworks are created. They don’t reflect any reality,” she explains, adding that art in general has the power to make time stand still by depicting a specific moment or emotional experience. It can also be an escape. It can keep history alive. “If you go back a thousand years, there are artworks that can [help us] understand how people used to live or what they were going through. So art is essential for time, and I don’t believe there is time without art.”

Time, while a cornerstone of her practice, is not a limiting factor in Sumayyah’s day-to-day life. It may be a finite resource for us all, but the multihyphenate is an expert at taking every bit of it she has and turning it into something meaningful. “I don’t believe in stopping,” she says. “I am persistent. I never stop and I never say no to an opportunity. No matter how small, no matter how big, I make time for it.”

Which explains how Sumayyah ended up being tasked with selecting 11 artists involved in the Creative Expressions exhibition at the National Theatre and Abu Dhabi Cultural Centre, which launched last month and will run until January 9, 2026.

Just as she doesn’t see time as an obstacle, neither are labels, and from the start of her career, Sumayyah has been many things, creator and curator included. Early on, she was captivated by computers and software, but when she went to college to pursue graphic design in 1996, she craved the ability to produce without parameters. “I just wanted freedom, the freedom of creation, the freedom of building my own world. And that’s where I was introduced to digital art.” Sumayyah put together her debut collection of pieces in 2001 and participated in her first group exhibition in Abu Dhabi two years later. In tandem, she was pursuing a Master’s of Cultural and Creative Industries in Museum and Exhibition Management at the Higher Colleges of Technology in Abu Dhabi.

Over the 25 or so years since, she has shown her own work in the UAE, UK, USA, China, and beyond, and has curated that of others in exhibitions spanning from Japan to Morocco, most recently focusing her attention on “Creative Expressions.” The project fosters a sense of national identity told through a rich spectrum of practices and perspectives – a cause close to Sumayyah’s heart.

“What excites me about the arts scene in our region is how diverse and tolerant it is and how flexible and fast it’s developing,” she says. Astonished by the number of artists either from, or operating out of, the UAE, Sumayyah attributes this expanding talent pool to the prideful support of government programs and other initiatives and grants. “The creative spirit in this region is [rooted in] how hungry people are to build something new, to create something that will get many eyes on us. Supporting the industry is such a powerful tool for the country as a soft power.” She points to her collaboration with Vacheron Constantin as an example. “It’s a beautiful brand that supports creativity, supports the arts, supports innovation. It’s a platform for every person who has a unique voice and that’s the beauty of it.”

Sumayyah, too, is passionate about lending the access she has to public platforms as a curator to her peers in the region and uplifting those who aspire to be part of the action. “My quest is to build bridges and open opportunities for people to not be so intimidated by the arts, and to have the community [participate in] these different art fairs, exhibitions, and festivals.” Her lack of allegiance to labels comes into play here as well, driving the inclusivity of her mission to engage with and encourage others. “I’ve met artists who are originally doctors, artists who are originally engineers, but they’re still artists,” she muses. “To me, a creative is a creative in every field, [someone who] can create something out of nothing. And I’d love to be part of [fostering] that in my country.” Crossing paths with these different kinds of people in her path to success is what keeps her curious and inspired to be her best professional self. “Excellence means respect. It means to work with dignity and to give opportunity. Being there, being present, being fair.”

Then, of course, there is the personal side of things – the Sumayyah who loves music, the performing arts, films and, above all, family. While striving for excellence, she has a clear goal in mind: to eventually reach a point where time might actually stop. At least long enough for her to crash on the couch with those cartoons she so adores, and no other worries in the world besides being with her loved ones. “When it comes to a personal quest, it is being a mother, being there for my family, being a wife that supports her husband and building a future for my family that makes me comfortable later on [where] I can just spend my day lazily, watching whatever movies that I like while everything is smooth and nice and dandy at home.”

Lead Image Credits: Vacheron Constantin Traditionnelle Perpetual Calendar in White Gold, POA, Vacheron Constantin

Abaya; Dress; Shayla, POA, all Seenxseen. Rings, POA, both Johra. Shoes,
talent’s own

Photography: Sebastian Böttcher. Styling: Marguerita Christoforidis. Words: Amanda Randone

From the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia December 2025 Issue