The 2011 revolution unleashed a wave of politically motivated murals on Cairo streets. The youth took advantage of their newly found freedom to express themselves on the walls of the city. This is an ongoing fight to capture the attention of “the street” and to point it towards the abuses Egyptians are suffering.
Some murals, such as those on Mohamed Mahmoud Street in downtown Cairo, are very elaborate and liberally use references from Egypt’s history. Others are just simpler stencil copies placarded all around town. The murals tell a story of the ongoing struggle of the people. They bring to life many revolutionary personalities.
The lack of political freedom under Mubarak's rule meant graffiti was rare. After the initial days of the 2011 revolution, this art form exploded in the Egyptian capital. This way of sharing important information became crucial in the months following the initial uprising when traditional media frequently discredited the protesters. A leading street artist, Amr Abo Bakr said recently: “The murals are the only true paper or channel of media for the revolution." He is not alone in believing this. There is an ongoing battle between the proponents of the old regime and the activists over these walls. As new pro-revolutionary graffiti emerge, pro-SCAF or pro-Mubarak supporters try to erase them.
Some murals, such as those on Mohamed Mahmoud Street in downtown Cairo, are very elaborate and liberally use references from Egypt’s history. Others are just simpler stencil copies placarded all around town. The murals tell a story of the ongoing struggle of the people. They bring to life many revolutionary personalities.
The lack of political freedom under Mubarak's rule meant graffiti was rare. After the initial days of the 2011 revolution, this art form exploded in the Egyptian capital. This way of sharing important information became crucial in the months following the initial uprising when traditional media frequently discredited the protesters. A leading street artist, Amr Abo Bakr said recently: “The murals are the only true paper or channel of media for the revolution." He is not alone in believing this. There is an ongoing battle between the proponents of the old regime and the activists over these walls. As new pro-revolutionary graffiti emerge, pro-SCAF or pro-Mubarak supporters try to erase them.
Women’s representation in Cairo’s graffiti
Women are represented throughout the Egyptian capital on graffiti. They are shown in their various roles: demonstrator, breadwinner, mother, idol, martyr and victim of injustice. There is a desire by the artists to reclaim women’s roles in the public sphere.
Samira Ibrahim, the iconic face of the “virginity tests”, is depicted on many graffiti. On one such mural, she is shown surrounded by numerous images of the army doctor she accuses(photo at right). Another popular graffiti is the image of “the girl in the blue bra”. This represents the bra of the female protester who was beaten and whose clothes were ripped off by officers revealing that blue bra. That event during a demonstration in December 2011 was filmed and went viral on social media worldwide. It became another iconic symbol of the mistreatment of Egyptian women during the Revolution.
Women are represented throughout the Egyptian capital on graffiti. They are shown in their various roles: demonstrator, breadwinner, mother, idol, martyr and victim of injustice. There is a desire by the artists to reclaim women’s roles in the public sphere.
Samira Ibrahim, the iconic face of the “virginity tests”, is depicted on many graffiti. On one such mural, she is shown surrounded by numerous images of the army doctor she accuses(photo at right). Another popular graffiti is the image of “the girl in the blue bra”. This represents the bra of the female protester who was beaten and whose clothes were ripped off by officers revealing that blue bra. That event during a demonstration in December 2011 was filmed and went viral on social media worldwide. It became another iconic symbol of the mistreatment of Egyptian women during the Revolution.