You've got to be quick with the camera in Cairo these days. Beautiful graffiti goes up one day and is painted over the next. Check out this election-appropriate artwork which I saw for the first time six days ago. It depicts an anonymous general with a sinister grin and a skull and cross bones insignia pulling with his bony, claw-like fingers the strings of the presidential candidate marionettes who are depicted wearing suits, waving their hands and without heads!
This image is on the wall of the American University in Cairo campus, across the street from Hardee's and on the corner of Tahrir Square. To the right of the main image, there still appears the split faces of former President Hosni Mubarak and current Field Marshall Tantawi below the sarcastic phrase, the revolution continues. That image has been around for months. And just around the corner, there is an epic mural depicting a battle scene from ancient Egyptian mythology and meant to be a metaphor for the turmoil and struggle that modern Egypt is undergoing.
All these images, however, were removed recently, as can be seen in the image below which was taken yesterday. I didn't see who repainted the wall, but word has it they were on the government's tab, as has happened before on this street.
Optimistically, the street artists have not missed a beat as they returned to the now fresh canvas with more critical imagery. The image below is in the place where the battle scene once was.
The images are caustic, the artists resilient and the metaphor poignant. Use your weapons of oppression, we will use our tools of expression. Tell us no, we will say why not? Whitewash our art, we will paint something new. It's certainly not every Egyptian's attitude--and there are definitely those who despise the graffiti on this street--but it's one of the voices of the ongoing revolution striving to hold on to the dream of a free society.
The first round of presidential elections begins tomorrow, and it's all anyone can talk about. I'm collecting my thoughts for a pre-election post tonight, and then I'll be in different neighborhoods tomorrow and the next day getting a sense for how the first competitive elections in this great civilization's history will go.
This image is on the wall of the American University in Cairo campus, across the street from Hardee's and on the corner of Tahrir Square. To the right of the main image, there still appears the split faces of former President Hosni Mubarak and current Field Marshall Tantawi below the sarcastic phrase, the revolution continues. That image has been around for months. And just around the corner, there is an epic mural depicting a battle scene from ancient Egyptian mythology and meant to be a metaphor for the turmoil and struggle that modern Egypt is undergoing.
All these images, however, were removed recently, as can be seen in the image below which was taken yesterday. I didn't see who repainted the wall, but word has it they were on the government's tab, as has happened before on this street.
Optimistically, the street artists have not missed a beat as they returned to the now fresh canvas with more critical imagery. The image below is in the place where the battle scene once was.
The images are caustic, the artists resilient and the metaphor poignant. Use your weapons of oppression, we will use our tools of expression. Tell us no, we will say why not? Whitewash our art, we will paint something new. It's certainly not every Egyptian's attitude--and there are definitely those who despise the graffiti on this street--but it's one of the voices of the ongoing revolution striving to hold on to the dream of a free society.
The first round of presidential elections begins tomorrow, and it's all anyone can talk about. I'm collecting my thoughts for a pre-election post tonight, and then I'll be in different neighborhoods tomorrow and the next day getting a sense for how the first competitive elections in this great civilization's history will go.
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