For the past one and a half years, Basma Hamdy and Don Karl, as the curators of Walls of Freedom, have been collaborating with 50 photographers, 30 artists and 20 authors. Since the beginning of the revolution, they been involved in Egypt’s thriving urban art scene, working closely with a network of its leading artists on mural projects, events and exhibitions. They started to work on this book in order to professionally document the Egyptian Street Art explosion. During their amazing journey, they have worked with many artists, capturing their art, their vision and their stories - collaborating with Activists, Egyptologists and Historians to accurately tell the story of the changing role of expression in public space.
This survey of Egyptian street art is also enriched by images of the revolution taken by acclaimed photographers and activists. Spanning major Egyptian cities like Cairo, Alexandria and Luxor it is a day-to-day reflection of the volatile and fast-shifting political situation.
With contributions by experts in many fields, ‘Walls of Freedom’ not only places the graffiti of the revolution in a broader context, it also examines the historical, socio-political and cultural backgrounds which have shaped the movement.
Video honouring "We are all Khaled Said" and the people of Egypt
Khaled Said, Egyptian Internet activist, rapper and blogger, was brutally beaten to death by two policemen on 6 June 2010 in Alexandria. His death triggered massive protests and the Facebook page “We are all Khaled Said” became one of the main catalysts of the revolution. Khaled Said, has become a symbolic figure and the face of the revolution in Egypt. Khaled Said's portrait is immortalized in Egypt in countless graffiti, street art murals and stencils in cities like Alexandria and Cairo. On Monday, September 19th, Khaled Said was posthumously awarded the Human Rights Award 2011 together with Slim Amamou from Tunisia in Berlin.
Why you should support the "Walls of Freedom" ~ Who Are We?
The impact of getting this project funded is huge. The curators believe that what is being created is something much more than a graffiti book. This book captures the art, thoughts, dreams and beauty of the revolution. They have collected everything from newspaper clippings to hand-drawn sketches, and sourced photographs from both amateur and professional photographers. The essays range from expert commentary to personal accounts. They did not leave a stone unturned, but dug deep into context, meaning and analysis.
"There are many giant publishers out there who may value commercial content over depth, isn't that what sells after all? NO! Lets prove them wrong. Lets make this book epic! Because if we do we are changing the way publishing works, we are prioritizing content, we are proving that people want something beautiful AND meaningful! Everyone who agreed to work with us on this project believed in it, and we know you will believe in it too! Some photographers have risked their lives to get some of the shots that will be published in this book. Artists have been arrested and harassed and continued to paint walls through tear gas and battles. These people deserve to have their voices heard. Egyptians have been fighting for freedom and social justice, and they continue to do so, this book tells their story but its really everyone's story. Anyone who values freedom will relate to this book and the stories in it and will be inspired."
