The art of the Egyptian revolution

The revolution brought new freedoms - and new themes: artists in Cairo now use the public space and document the upheaval of their society.

Once a month, the time has come: When the sun goes down in Egypt's capital, fills the spacious Abdeen Square in the east of downtown Cairo with people. In the background rises the Abdeen Palace. From 1873 to 1952 used as the seat of government, was set up Hosni Mubarak during his tenure including the President Mubarak museum on the premises of the palace.

Since the Egyptian revolution on 25 January 2011 paved the way for a new Egypt, the Abdeen Square is more than just the square outside the palace - at least on the first Saturday in the month, because he says: Al Fan Midan , the art is a space. Music, theater, lectures, art workshops for children and film screenings in the open air, which offers everything that is predominantly financed from donations and private funds Cultural Festival Al-Fan Midan .

 "The Egyptians are now reclaiming the revolution the public space," says Abir Ali, one of the initiators of the alternative cultural events. "The streets, the places - the whole town heard back us, the citizens of Egypt." To strengthen this newly awakened consciousness, he and his colleagues had come with the idea to use the public space not only for political demonstrations, but also for art.

In the name of Al-Fan Midan were the organizers after during mass protests last spring in Tahrir Square a stage was set up. Bands, theater groups and other artists joined political protest there with their art. "The name al-Fan Midan , to clarify that everyone has the right of access to art, "says Abir Ali. The monthly cultural festival is organized by the Independent Arts Coalition, an association of artists and private cultural centers, which was founded in March 2011.

Music and dance from Senegal

"Freedom of speech and expression as well as the end all censorship of artistic work in Egypt are our major concerns," says Ali. At the Al-Fan Midan event enjoy the performing artists that freedom. Under the open sky, illuminated by colorful lights this evening is a band from Senegal. A few meters away just two dervishes begin their program and dancing in ecstasy, while more and more spectators form a tight circle around them. Around the event artists and students have built up small stalls where they sell drawings, self-designed jewelery or books.

Not only on the Abdeen Square has done a lot since the Egyptian Revolution: The number of galleries, concerts and cultural events in Cairo takes steadily after the revolution. In addition to many new and often improvised cultural centers of political upheaval has already established galleries gives new impetus. The Townhouse Gallery has been around since its opening in 1998 a place in the art scene in Cairo. On three floors, this contemporary art is displayed, and admission is free.

Mostafa Hedayat, himself an artist, often comes at the Townhouse Gallery - not only to be inspired by the exhibited art, but also to take advantage of the device connected to the Gallery Studio: Since 2002, the Townhouse Gallery, a neighboring former factory building on 650 square meters of space for workshops or perfomance art, a library can be found here. "Since the revolution, the offer is still larger and more flexible," says the 26-year-old, "it is easy to cut red tape before an event than under the old regime."

Shop in the gallery cover young Egyptian scenesters in using fashion, accessories and literature, in the cafes around discussing at water pipe and tea in the open air until late in the evening about art, politics, God and the world. Europeans also like to mix in the buzz before the Townhouse Gallery. Where before the fall of the Mubarak regime, the name of the President was still taboo, is now being discussed loudly about the offense, as the growing power of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt.

The revolution as artwork

"Of course we are worried about our newfound artistic freedom that begins to unfold just beginning," says Mostafa, "the religious forces now already tend to censor how the case of Adel Imam has seen. " The Egyptian actor was in February sentenced to three months in prison, for allegedly insulting Islam - for many liberal and secular-minded Egyptians, a concession to the rise of political Islam in society.

In other galleries as the Townhouse Gallery, examines the post-revolutionary art in Cairo. For example, in the Mashrabia Gallery of Contemporary Art : The set of living in Sweden Egyptian photographer Karim Bakry whether the Egyptian revolution can ever be regarded as a closed process.

In his exhibition Missing Pieces presented Bakry photos that he took during the protests in the spring of 2011, in Tahrir square, packing boxes and wooden crates - in new arrangements. The fractures that run in this way reflected by the photographs, according to Bakry the internal social fractures in Egypt, which were in the course of the revolution become more obvious than ever.

Karim Bakry also cares about the artistic freedom in Egypt. You can be guaranteed only if children and young people from all backgrounds are introduced to the art. "Makes the gallery scene in Cairo excellent job," says the artist, "but many Egyptians still do not have access to the arts, especially not to modern art." Here from Karim Bakrys view most Egyptians the arts are much closer than they realize themselves. "All the Egyptian revolution is still like a giant work of art, in which the whole society participated We artist documenting what has created the society and still creates. "

Anyone walking through the galleries, concerts and theater Kairos, who understands what Karim says Bakry: The revolution is omnipresent theme of the contemporary art scene. In different ways and from different angles, the events of the spring of 2011 and the upheavals that are taking place since then in the Egyptian society, artistically illuminated and documented. Whether musically, in images or installation art works - the other view of the Egyptian revolution gives the viewer new insight into a society that is going to reinvent itself.

http://www.zeit.de/reisen/2012-09/aegypten-kairo-kunst