Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
Research paper
Title: Rebelling walls
Question: How could paint and brush turn into
weapons of artistic expression?
By Laila Mohsen Hassan
lailamhassan@gmail.com / l.hassan1@arts.ac.uk
MA Digital Arts (Visual Arts)
University of the Arts London, Camberwell College
9th October 2013
Abstract:
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
Art is the reflection of the world among us and as much as it
reflects the world it affects it as long as it is real, honest and
original.
Before the Egyptian revolution in 2011, the field of fine arts in
Egypt was keeping distance from political confrontation. By the
uprising of the revolution; young, courageous Egyptian activists
and artists considered the Egyptian walls their unlimited canvas
and created murals, graffiti and templates to talk for them. First,
the whole act started as a response then became a trigger to
revolt. By recording the revolution, the walls of the cities of
Egypt are recording it's history again like they did thousands of
years ago.
The graffiti spread through all the streets of Egypt. It is found
now even in conservative cities.. young artists use it to express
their frustration and political point of view. It is the people's art;
spontaneous, creative and does not have to be professionally
drawn or painted.
The impact of the new reinvented graffiti art is enormous that it
requires a long observation and exploration of the creative
content that is developed. In this paper I will examine investigate
further and explore the artistic energy that was born due to the
revolution.
In that research I shall be looking closely to those art actions and
reactions in a dynamic, diverse world. I am hoping to understand
the growth of graffiti art in Egypt and thus understand the tale of
the city.
Keywords: Revolution, Graffiti, Mural, Art, Change,
Table of Contents
Abstract...............................................................................
......................................... 1
Introduction..........................................................................
.................................... 3
Reflection of
change.................................................................................
............ 4
Tank versus
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Bike.....................................................................................
...... 9
Mohamed Mahmoud mural............................................ 12
Conclusion............................................................................
..................................... 13
Bibliography..........................................................................
.................................... 15
Introduction
The Egyptian art is the oldest and largest in the Middle East with
the most remarkable cultural heritage. No wonder its artists are
influenced by ancient Egyptian Art, Coptic and Islamic Art and
European modernism. Yet the Art scene in Egypt seemed in the
past decades to have come to a standstill; reflecting the social
changes of that time, generations of lost identities and mass
consciousness. Throughout this essay I am trying to exploration
the creative content developed during the Egyptian revolution
that started in January 2011 in Tahrir square.
“Looking closely at a generation that was suffering from
emptiness and lethargy and accordingly missing the feeling of
belonging and loyalty to the ground they are living on.” (ElMougy /The New Culture, August 2013)
The lost will of the people was reflected on the field of art as it
was on every other field in the country.
When the Egyptian revolution erupted in 2011 it became an
emotional burst for every single person in the country and
particularly artists of all fields. New freedoms were explored,
despair and oppression were turned into optimism, hope, energy
and vitality. Making art freely without any borders became a new
experience for artists who were struggling before the revolution
for cultural identity. Looking up to the new life based on
democracy gave faith and enthusiasm to the people.
The unique way art was responding to the transformative forces
in Egypt was noteworthy, it was a new self discovery after
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
periods of deep gloom. Inspiring moments and a new feeling of
nationalism led to new ideas, tools and methods in art, music,
poetry, cinema and television, even advertising was strongly
affected and international interest in modern Egyptian art is
increasing.
The revolution which was strongly triggered by the new social
media tools Facebook and Twitter broke the walls between
people and technology and encouraged them to use them.
Therefore, the new era encouraged young artists to move away
from typical mediums as painting and move towards modern and
increasingly conceptual visual discourse. Eventually, Digital Art
that is echoing the transformations in the country is more
appreciated and respected by the audience.
-The Internet has also provided an array of subject matter for
artists, and it has also eliminated physical distances between
artists and their audiences. Egyptian artwork
As much as people were using the new social media tools to
reflect the change and express themselves on the walls of
Facebook and Twitter, the young activists went to express
themselves on the walls of the streets as well. The eruption of
the revolution was furthermore responsible for the rebirth of
Graffiti in Egypt.
Reflection of change
Despite having some of the oldest world graffiti in Egypt, the art
rarely existed in the past decades. Before the revolution graffiti
was commonly used for religious entreaties, advertisements or
romantic declarations. It was impossible to implement any
protest art on the walls, the authorities would wipe it out.
“To my knowledge, I lived in one of the few graffiti-free countries
in the world. The Egyptian youth didn’t write without permission
on public surfaces.” (Gröndahl, Revolution Graffiti, p.9)
Since the revolution artists started to spray notable slogans like
“game over” or “the people want the regime to fall down” on
murals across the city of Cairo. The revolutionary demands and
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
rebellious iconography were contagious and spread all over the
country.
Tahrir square became the soul of the revolution and the
inspiration of the whole country. It was for many activists, not
only the home but the stage and the gallery of free expression.
Many artists were daunted by the spontaneous creative impulses
of the square; many people were writing harsh slogans, others
wrote humorous ones, on the other hand artists drawing political
cartoons andcreating installations out of stones and found
objects. Plays were created and performed, poetry was written
and music was played. Suddenly Tahrir square became the place
for making art. A place for every revolutionary to share their
insights about the love of Egypt and the hope for living in justice.
As a result the artistic experience on the street became vital and
the hero of all arts was the graffiti. It is important to realize that
with the vibrant culture of a city like Cairo, the creative spirit of
the revolution should not be a surprise.
“The raw medium through which the people expressed
themselves revealed the telling reality. Besides having long been
silenced, the people had also undermined each others voices and
built walls between themselves., walls which ultimately-until they
were destroyed-became their only channel of communication. It
was that moment in Tahrir square, when they began writing on
actual walls, that these dividing walls of fear, silence and hate
were tore down.” (Zoghbi, Arabic Graffiti, p.39)
Therefore, many artists were triggered to paint outside the
frame, they used the city walls as unlimited canvas; first came
the rebellious slogans then slogans, murals, stencils and stickers
which help them to create a message quickly and easily. Many
artists usually keep their identities concealed or use nicknames,
due to the political message they present.
Chico (nickmane) and Temeem's the Egyptian artists behind the
Downtown stencils say that their stencils usually have very short
life and are removed swiftly by authorities but they would keep
on recreating them. (Ahram Online newspaper)
Many artists like Ganzeer, El-Teneen, Sad Panda, Keizer were
using graffiti to deliver a message, others preferred to turn to
installation art to create more complicated concepts.
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
Graffiti reaches everyone who is away from the Internet and the
social media; the rich , the poor, the rebellious and the peaceful,
people looking for freedom and democracy and others occupied
by their daily search for a human income. In a word Graffiti
touches them all.
Under those circumstances artists began to paint martyrs to keep
the memory alive of those who died like the mural done for Artist
Ahmed Basiony, killed during the protests in 2011, whose work
was not totally political but was a reflection of the oppression.
Unfortunately, after the ouster of Mubarak people went to clean
Tahrir Square and they started cleaning some of the graffiti off
the walls. But many artists would draw again from the start. To
point out here how the young activist artists became very
determine due to the change that happened as result of the
revolution.
It was not easy to combine aesthetic and political ambitions in
order to create, eventually many artists and writers have
continued to be active in the protest movement itself.
Artists found the inspiration of the graffiti in the every day events
of the people's revolution, graffiti became then the informal
documentation of the revolution and the most spontaneous and
honest art representing it.
Boraie the author of “Wall talk” explains how the street art
became a "constant response to what was happening; it was
never static. Something would happen and there would be an
artistic response on the street right away." (Ahram Online)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/35/53631/Arts-Culture/Stage--Street/When-walls-talk-Documenting-Egyptsrevolutionary-g.aspx
Whenever a barrier of blocks was built it was use as a new
canvas for graffiti artist, in some cases the blocks were turned
into a continuation of the street as if there were no barriers, a
famous example is a project called “No Walls” by the Revolution
Artists Association”.
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
-Shortly after president Morsi being elected, the Egyptian
authorities had the graffiti walls of Tahrir Square and Mohamed
Mahmoud street repainted. In Hours artists repainted much of it
with new images. That was when president Morsi became one of
the artists main targets as president Mubarak.
“Through their stenciled spray-painting of martyr images and
spontaneous insults of the president, they were putting death
right in the regime’s face. Writing was key to this challenge to
political legitimacy. The very next day, pro-Mursi demonstrators
came, also in the thousands, with huge buckets of the same pale
yellow paint to blot out the opposition graffiti.” (connected in
Cairo, Feb.2013)
http://connectedincairo.com/2013/02/19/the-struggle-for-thewalls-of-cairo/
And so street art became a battleground of differences in
opinions.
"I still feel that graffiti is probably the most honest and sincere
expression of what has happened over the course of the last 18
months."
Even the way the walls were ultimately erased was a telling
indicator of the times.”
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
"It's a symbol of where Egypt is now; the fact that they would
just go ahead and erase it the way they did is an indictment of
the massacres of Mohamed Mahmoud Street, which is obviously
something they don't want to deal with." (Borai, Trew, Ahram
Online, 23 Sep 2012)
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/35/53631/Arts-Culture/Stage--Street/When-walls-talk-Documenting-Egyptsrevolutionary-g.aspx
At the same time a number of political forces painted the martyr
Salah Jaber on the walls of buildings in front of the countryside
home of President Morsi.
After a couple of months with the drawings on the ground in
front of the Brotherhood office the government forces had lost all
their patience and attacked the activists which led to bloody
clashes.
“The issue is not that harsh as many feel. It is a reflection of a
traditional state mentality,” said Ammar Abo Bakr, a graffiti artist
who is responsible for many graffiti work on the walls of
Mohamed Mahmoud Street.
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/mohamed-mahmoudgraffiti-whitewashed-returns-new-era
Others fear that they are erasing history but the artists simply
answer by the sarcastic words “erase more” we will paint again.
Describing the erasing of the murals of Mohamed Mahmoud Street:
“Let him go to hell, the lack of political awareness and lack of reasons.
Bureaucracy and ignorance of the need to document the history and
contemporary events and the struggle of young people, who grabbed us
what we did not appreciate. The ruling parties today and those of the
opposition did not defend us seriously and Egypt's youth are sacrificing
their lives and physical integrity. To them and to our collective memory for
generations to come I apologize!”
( Hamzawy, elWatan News, 09/20/2012)
http://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/51143
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
I have chosen here two popular example of the Egyptian
revolution graffiti to look closer to; Tank versus Bike and The
Murals of Mohamed Mahmoud Street.
Tank versus Bike
After Mubarak era the famous graffiti of a tank versus biker, by
artist Ganzeer became a battlefield that has been covered and
painted over several times by pro and anti (SCAF), (The Supreme
Council of the Armed Forces) The mural, which was summing up
the turbulent state of the revolution, was changing by every
event and it is definitely one of the artworks that represents the
core of the revolution graffiti.
The tank versus biker showing a life sized tank aiming the
cannon at a boy riding the bike and carrying bread on a tray on
his head, which is a typical Egyptian scene from the daily
struggle. Graffiti artist Sad Panda added his logo as he did on
many murals all around Cairo.
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
After bloody clashes end of 2011 when the military and security
forces attacked the protesters, Khaled another graffiti artist with
the help of other artists added new people being crushed to the
mural.
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
Then supporters of the army came back to turn the mural into
pro army mural now it shows that the army and the people are
one hand, January 2012
Then Khaled came back to paint a giant military monstor
devouring a female protester. Another artists called the MonaLisa Battalion added a set of figures, Nazeer came back to add
“Tahrir is you address” being crushed under the tank. Among
that the sad Panda instead of watching disappeared under the
layers of paint.
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
Mohamed Mahmoud mural
Mohamed Mahmoud street is very close to Tahrir square, it was
the sign of freedom for the activists containing several murals
that tell many stories and at the same time complementing each
other. It is a 30 meter long wall of graffiti that is inspired by the
tension in the street.
First came the eyes of freedom by Abu Bakr with paintings of
protesters who lost their eyes, then martyrs of the revolution
afterwards more martyrs were added at further events like the
“Ultras Ahlawy” martyrs of the football match in Port Said.
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
Then images of mothers holding the photos of their lost sons
were added to the scene.
Part of the mural that is painted by Awad showing a funeral that
is inspired from the ancient Egyptian wall paintings, showing the
customs of the funerals that still exist to our lifetime in Egypt,
here he uses icons and symbols representing death and sorrow.
Also inspired by the ancient Egyptian art the artist continues to
paint scenes about justice and the book of the dead.
Another part of the mural is showing a group of free Egyptian
women marching with a sense of freedom to emphasize the role
of the women in the society and the revolution The mural is
paying them the respect they deserve.
Then finally before the presidential elections the artists decided
to write on the paintings “ Forget what has passed and focus on
the elections”
Conclusion
The walls that have been dividing people became a force to
liberate the minds and nation.
The walls are no doubt recording the history again as in has done
in Egypt thousands of years ago, capturing the most significant
historical and cultural moments.
Briefly the murals are here to stay, mirroring the dreams and
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
hopes of the Egyptian people and bringing political awareness
and conveying messages to the streets of Egypt. Art is a tool to
create an impact.
In conclusion, the artistic response to the Egyptian revolution
was post change then became a trigger and a medium of change
It was a reflection of the whole society. The impact art has on
their lives and their involvement before and after the revolution
is enormous.The revolution has poured out of the deep well of
despair and loss of confidence and great creative works were
made after periods of deep gloom.
On the other hand artists are people who describe how they see
the world now and in the future. Definitely the arts were central
to define a new way of looking at life in Egypt.
The Egyptian revolution has undoubtedly ushered in a new sense
of freedom. The uprising in Egypt may be finished, but the
artistic movement it created is still developing.
Bibliography
Books:
-Revolution Graffiti: Street Art of the New Egypt
by Mia Gröndahl
-Wall Talk: Graffiti Of The Egyptian Revolution
by multi authors, published by Zeitouna
-Arabic Graffiti, by Pascal Zoghbi
-Walls of Freedom: Street Art of the Egyptian Revolution
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Laila Mohsen Hassan, research paper
by Don Stone Karl (Author) , Basma Hamdy (Author)
Magazines:
-The New Culture, an Egyptian magazine in Arabic
-The Imagination, an Egyptian magazine in Arabic
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http://english.ahram.org.eg/UI/Front/MultimediaInner.aspx?NewsContentID=
36392&newsportalname=Multimedia
https://www.amnesty.org/en/news/egypt-these-walls-can-speak-cairo-smohamed-mahmoud-murals-2012-11-16
http://tv.wired.it/news/2012/05/23/the-noise-of-cairo-the-artists-behind-theegyptian-revolution.html
http://www.fmvmag.com/music-from-a-revolution-egypt/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Revolution-Graffiti-Street-Art-of-the-NewEgypt/313913465299751?id=313913465299751&sk=photos_stream
https://www.facebook.com/Contemporaryarts1
https://www.facebook.com/asa7bess
http://today.duke.edu/2013/09/egyptgraffiti
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http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/jonathanjonesblog/2011/jul/04/artegypt-revolution-shubbak-arab-spring
http://marxist-theory-of-art.blogspot.com/2011/02/latuff-on-revolution-inegypt.html
http://www.spoonfeddesign.com/posters-for-change-egypt-and-tunisia
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Egyptian_Revolution_-_Wall_Art.jpg
http://themadproject.wordpress.com/2012/01/09/egyptian-revolution-gavebirth-to-street-art/
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http://ganzeer.blogspot.com/2011/02/day-of-martyrs.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/29/egypt-revolutiongraffiti_n_1240310.html
http://she2i2.blogspot.com/2011/03/street-art-graffiti-of-revolution.html
http://utopianist.com/2011/02/the-revolution-was-tagged-the-street-art-of-the15
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egyptian-protests/
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/Egypts-Murals-Are-More-ThanJust-Art-They-Are-a-Form-of-Revolution-204114911.html
https://vimeo.com/40476138
http://www.npr.org/2011/07/03/137402744/artists-street-artists-defendegypts-revolutionary-imagary
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/08/egyptian.artists/index.htm
l
http://globalcomment.com/cairos-art-of-resistance-the-street-art-of-thejanuary-25th-protests/
http://lonestarvarsity.com/world/2012-10-08/preserving-egypts-revolutionarygraffiti#.UlBE6xY_aLE
http://www.thecommentfactory.com/the-global-art-uprising-how-therevolutionary-spirit-transformed-creativity-6220/
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http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/egypt-revolution-arab-spring-islamistsmilitary-censorship-art-music-sexuality-society
http://pulitzercenter.org/reporting/Egypt-Revolution-Art-Censorship-TahrirSquare-Street-Art-Hip-Hop
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http://www.zeropointpress.org/blog/2012/05/22/art-and-the-revolution-inegypt/
http://www.citizenside.com/en/photos/politics/2012-09-22/68298/egyptianrevolution-tags-for-recognition.html#f=0/571258
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http://womenonwalls.com
http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/0526/Egyptian-graffitiartist-Ganzeer-arrested-amid-surge-in-political-expression
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/06/brotherhoodization
-of-the-opera-egypts-assault-on-the-arts/276646/
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http://www.egyptindependent.com/opinion/poetry-revolution
http://www.yourmiddleeast.com/features/graffiti-the-art-of-revolution-inegypt-continues_12837
http://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/148235
http://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/51143
http://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/124096
http://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/132491
http://www.elwatannews.com/news/details/148084
http://mag.newsweek.com/2013/03/11/egypt-s-jon-stewart-media-sensationbassem-youssef.html
http://www.egyptindependent.com/news/art-and-revolution-revisited-two-newdocumentaries
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http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/35/53631/Arts--Culture/Stage-Street/When-walls-talk-Documenting-Egypts-revolutionary-g.aspx
http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/10/07/242336.html
http://www.merip.org/mero/interventions/art-egypts-revolutionary-square
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