The Revolution will NOT be Televised.

The state-run TV is notorious in Egypt. For many Al Jazerra is the station of choice, for reliable news in Egypt and the world in general.

While the state-run TV did reform after the Revolution, by most accounts, it's coverage during Maspero violence (in front of the state TV building, Maspero) only served to incite more violence.

http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2011/1056/cu2.htm

http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/tahrir-square/the-night-maspero-turned-war-zone-firsthand-account

Recently I have seen street art around Midan Tahrir focused on TVs.

Translation: "Descend to the street" (The word "descend" is a common word in Egypt-- you "descend" from the metro train to the platform).

I photographed this stencil during the demonstration on Friday 18 November near AUC Tahrir campus.

Who is telling whom to "Descend to the street?"

During the 9 October Maspero violence, State TV told Egyptians to "Descend to the street" to defend the military against the Christians. Is the street-artist mocking that incident?

From what I have seen on other blogs, this stencil-- created by Adham Bakry-- is not new and has appeared before. I, however, have not seen the stencil since my arrival in August. It made a strong comeback in the downtown area during Friday 18 November demonstrations.

This stencil first appeared on Sunday 20 November. While the stencil appears in a few places throughout Midan Tahrir, it is mostly limited to near the AUC Tahrir campus building. I photographed this specific stencil on The Wall.

As I look at this street art of TVs, I am reminded of the late African-American poet Gil Scott Heron's poem "The Revolution will not be Televised."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGaRtqrlGy8

The refrain of the poem is "The Revolution will not be Televised." The Egyptian Revolution, however, was televised on State-run TV, Al Jazzera, BBC, any network you name it. And in contrast to his words ("There will be no highlights on the eleven o'clock news"), the Egyptian Revolution was on the eleven o'clock news around the world.

Scott Heron said "Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Hooterville Junction will no longer be so damned relevant." Egyptian pop culture is, however, still relevant. Not all, but some of the graffiti in Cairo makes reference to an Egyptian film or the Egyptian version of "Green Acres."

So was Scott Heron wrong? He concludes his poem, "The Revolution will be no re-run brothers, the Revolution will be live." In these words, Scott Heron spoke an absolute truth.

There is no re-run, this is it. I may hear what seems like a re-run of sirens from my window, but for each victim in that ambulance the siren is all but real. No matter what information the state TV is spewing from the television in front of me, the sirens are still real; the chants are still loud. The Revolution will not be televised.

Hisb El-Kanaba (The Couch Party)

I have seen this street art every time I exit the Sadat Metro in Midan Tahrir since I arrived in Cairo in August. This stencil is by Adham Bakry.

Hizb El-Kanaba (The Couch Party) is a term referring to the "silent majority"- those people who sat on their couch during the Revolution.

The more time I have spent with my Egyptian friends' families, I have come to discover that there is a difference between those who sat on their couches and watched a movie during the Revolution and those who were watching Al Jazeera.

Not everyone is able to go to Midan Tahrir. Each person has their own unique circumstances- maybe they have a newborn child, or are in a wheel chair and are not physically able to journey to the Midan.

I am reminded of a passage from my favorite book The Posionwood Bible, by Barbra Kingsolver. The story revolves around a missionary family living in the Congo in the 1960s when democratically elected Patrice Lumumba was assassinated and the country descended into chaos.

The main character writes, "I knew Rome was burning, but I had just enough water to scrub the floor, so I did what I could."

There is a difference between those who turn the other cheek and those who look straight forward and watch the bloody images on Al Jazeera. Educating oneself and discussing with ones neighbors about the news is in itself a form of political participation in which there is no shame.

this is not graffiti

The name of this blog comes from an exhibition by the same name at the Townhouse Gallery. Located in downtown Cairo, the Townhouse Gallery is comprised of a library (with art books in several languages), several exhibition space and a theatre. The Gallery hosts artists in residence and has many programs for under-priviledged youth and refugees.

Here a great video about the Gallery: http://vimeo.com/21584869
As the video explains, the Gallery fosters discussion on political and social issues.

I saw the play Lessons in Revolting at the Gallery in August.
http://lessonsinrevolting.com/dates-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%aa%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%b1%d9%8a%d8%ae-2/-- they're currently touring in Europe, check it out!

The play was produced by Egyptian actor-activists whose "purpose is not to document or reminisce, but to reflect [about the January 25 revolution] with an audience."


The exhibition "This is not graffiti" features nine artists who each graffiti-ed a wall of the Townhouse Gallery. Given the exhibition's title, should I be using the "graffiti-ed"? Many of the artwork on the street is actually painted and not spray-painted which is medium that I most associate with graffiti. Additionally I have always considered graffiti an inherently subversive (i.e. illegal) act.

Perhaps the title then is in reference to the fact that the artwork in the exhibition is not illegal and will not be crossed out or painted over because it is under the auspieces of the exhibition. In contrast, the artwork on the street is not part of an exhibition and as a result has no protection. While the artwork on the street will no doubt remain subversive, I can only hope that this blog will offer it some degree of protection. So is it graffiti? That's for you to decide.


Here pictures (taken on my iphone) from the exhibition.
The panda is ubiquitous is Cairo. Apparently before the January 25 revolution there was a TV commercial involving an angry panda(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4277ZqJEd7Q&feature=related). The subtitles are hard to see, but I think you'll be able to make the connection.

Any yes, there is a picture of a white wall.