Vote for nobody

Polls begin in 9 governates tomorrow. While Cairo had its elections 2 weeks ago, election-fever is still palpable here: Giza, located on the other side of the Nile (where the pyramids are) and just two metro stops from downtown Cairo, will have its elections tomorrow.

Located on Mohamed Mahmoud St., around the corner from Midan Tahrir, this is the first election related street art that I've seen in Egypt.

Voter turn-out was remarkably lower during the run-off elections last week than during the initial polls. I hope that the voter turn out is high tomorrow and Egyptians exercise their right to vote and duty to shape their country. A general sense of excitement surrounded the first polls and I hope that that excitement returns-- after all there are still three rounds of elections for the Shoura Council (the upper house of parliament) early next year, not to mention the presidential elections which SCAF recently promised will be held in June 2012 and a probable constitutional referendum.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContentPrint/4/0/28243/Opinion/0/Elections-and-their-discontents.aspx
The world cares, so I hope Egypt does too.

Maspero- 2 months and counting

Today marks the two month anniversary of the Maspero tragedy; it passed with little fanfare-- no newspaper headlines, no massive demonstration. Over the past month I have photographed many pieces of street art pertaining to the Maspero tragedy.

NOTE: All stencils reference the distinctive shape of the Maspero building (a circular building, with a tower jutting out of the middle) which houses the state-run TV industry and is located along the Nile in downtown, not far from Midan Tahrir.

Translation:"Dead poison"

This photo was taken on Monday 21 November in front of the Mugamma. Within a few days it was completely covered by new street art.

This photograph was taken on Sunday 27 November across the street from the Maglis Al Sha'ab on Qasr Al-Aini Street.

This photograph was taken on Sunday 27 November on the street of the Maglis Al Sha'ab. The wall was initially covered in only distinctive, pre-planned stencils, over time it has increasingly been covered in impromptu spray-paint.

This stencil is by the street artist El Teneen.

Eyes

Can this be called street art? Or is it vandalism.

This is one of four lions on the Qasr Al-Aini bridge connecting El Gezira (an island in the middle of the nile) and downtown.

This is a statue of Shiek Omar Makaram in front of the Omar Makram mosque in Midan Tahrir.

Demonstrators marched this Friday to Midan Tahrir in order to honor the Marytrs of the recent clashes. Some wore patches over their eyes in solidarity with those who lost their eyes from rubber bullets in the recent clashes.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/530191

The loss of eyes was particularly noteworthy in the recent clashes. Ahmed Harara is a lauded figure: he lost one eye during the 25 January Revolution and his second eye during the recent clashes.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/11/28/179668.html

Below is a stencil of Ahmed Harara taken in front of the Maglis Al Sha'ab earlier this week.

In place of his right eye, 19 November

in place of his left eye, 25 January

day 2

Translation: "Freedom is coming forever."

This photograph was taken on Saturday 26 November, around the corner from The Wall.

Will elections set Egyptians free?

Voting was extended from 1 day to 2 days by SCAF last Friday.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/27635/Egypt/Politics-/Breaking-Egypt-voting-extended-to-two-days-instead.aspx

I have been surprised by the lack of election street art in Cairo. While most street art is in itself political, as far as I have seen, none of it directly references the elections. While I mentioned in a previous post that some candidates painted their names on buildings in the village I visited, I have not seen any such street art in Cairo. Candidates do plaster campaign posters on walls (and in most cases, identical posters directly next to each other) and hang up banners, but there are no interpretative murals depicting their faces or names. Each party and candidate had a symbol (to aid illiterate voters), but none of these symbols were painted on the streets. There is also no street art depicting the importance of voting-- not so much as the word VOTE. Voter education programs certainly exist in Cairo, but they didn't use street art to reach the masses. Furthermore, what does the lack of election street art imply about the street artists themselves?

The Muslim Brotherhood (and their political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party [FJP]) may not have used street art, but they certainly got their message across. At every polling station that I walked past (and as was the same with my friends) in the past 2 days the FJP had a large contingent of volunteers. The FJP had a booth with laptops at each polling station to assist voters with finding their legna (polling station) number (voters needed to record the number along with their name and ID number before voting) in addition t numerous volunteers passing out flyers despite a ban on campaigning 48 hours before elections. Is this freedom?

Remember

This photograph was taken in front of the Mugamma on Saturday 26 November during the on-going occupation of Midan Tahrir.

Saturday November 19th is the day that the recent clashes in Midan Tahrir began after the Central Security Forces (CSF) used violence to evict peaceful protesters from the Midan.

Is this street art a reference to the film V for Vendetta (Remember, Remember the 5th of November)?

As the first round of parliamentary elections began today in Cairo (and 8 other governorates, including Alexandria and Luxor), the April 6th movement encouraged voters to wear black in remembrance of those who died in the recent clashes in Midan Tahrir.

http://bikyamasr.com/49707/egypt-elections-kick-off-activist-mourn-the-dead-protesters-in-wearing-all-black/

Despite the long lines at many polling stations today, it only takes one stroll through Midan Tahrir to Remember the 19th of November.

Is This Chaos?

Translation: "This is Chaos?"

I took this photo on Monday 21 November at The Mugamma.

The street art is a spoof of the famous 2007 Egyptian film "This is Chaos" from the Egyptian director Youssef Chahine. The film focuses on the story of a corrupt policeman (Hatim, played by the actor Khaled Salah) who falls in love with a young teacher (Nour, played by the actress Hala Sadky). He continues to pursue her despite the teacher become engaged to her school's principal's son, a high ranking government official. Hatim proceeds to rape Nour and hide the evidence. Nour and her fiancee pursue the case and eventually find incriminating evidence against Hatim. At the end of the film, Hatim commits suicide.

NOTE: The title of the film does not include a question mark.

Below is a link to the film's trailer (without English subtitles)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooRKVwgxl40

The street art is a picture of Hatim with a gun before he commits suicide. Does the question mark in the street art serve to ask the people if the suicide of the police (of the government) is what they want? While Mubarak was certainly a brutal ruler, he didn't flee to Saudi Arabia, but rather stayed in Egypt to stand in court in front of his people. Do the Egyptian people want revenge or do they want justice? Is there a difference?

The saying goes that the best revenge is living well. It is my hope that the first round of parliamentary elections beginning tomorrow will be Egypt's first step towards living well.

Glory for the Rioters

Translation: "The glory for the rioters" (El Maged Ll Moshagbeen)

This graffiti was created today on the wall of the Mugamma.

This street art is a spoof of the famous Egyptian play (and subsequent film) "The School of the Rioters" (Madrasah Al-Moshagbeen). The play debuted after the 1973 war with a venerable cast- including Adel Imam, Ahmed Zeky, Saed Saleh, Hasan Mostfa and Soher El Bably.

In the play, the principle can't control his students despite his many attempts at disciplining them. The students tirelessly play jokes on their teachers, until the principal hires a new teacher who eventually reforms them by first becoming their friend and earning their trust and respect.

While street art is giving praise to the rioters, does the reference to the play allow that these rioters can eventually be tamed? If so, who is the teacher that will tame them?

Massive demonstrations took place today in Midan Tahrir and in several other cities across Egypt, calling for an end to military and a shift transition to civilian rule lead by a National Salvation Council. Rejecting SCAF's appointment of Kamel El-Ganzouri as the new Prime Minister, representatives of youth & revolutionary movements appointed Mohamed El-Baradei, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former head of the IAEA, as the head of the National Salvation Council. Will Baradei be able to tame the rioters?

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/27638/Egypt/Politics-/Breaking-Revolutionary-movements-name-Baradei-prim.aspx

Here is a clip of the play (without English subtitles), featuring the actor Adel Imam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3svc9TY9q8

the Shahada

Translation: "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger" (la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulu illah).

This stencil of the Shahada is now very common in Midan Tahrir.

After someone dies, a Muslim says "We are for Allah and we are returning to him" (inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon). When in a state of disbelief or shock, a Muslim may instinctively say the Shahada- "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger" (la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulu illah). The Shahada is the Muslim testimony of belief.

Throughout the past week, I have heard shouts of "Allahu Akbar" in Midan Tahrir. I have seen men stop chanting against military rule in order to pray. I have watched as ambulances drive the injured from the site of the clashes to the large field hospital in Omar Makram Mosque on the other side of the Midan while men and women hold hands to make sure there is a clear path. I pushed my way through a crowd with the help of a woman wearing the niqab. And I have heard people muttering "la ilaha illallah Muhammad rasulu illah" when they see a bloody picture from Al Jazeera on their smart phone or learn than yet another person has died in the clashes.

Yes Islam is present in the Midan, but Islam is present in Egypt. This is not an Islamic Revolution, this is an Egyptian Revolution.

No to military rule

This is a very popular form of the stylized "لا" ("No" in Arabic), seen in many different shapes & sizes as parts of different street art throughout Cairo. This "لا" was used in the campaign against military trials.

I saw this particular incarnation of "لا" today on a wall of the Mugamma in Midan Tahrir. While I'm not sure who the artist is, I know it was painted today because I didn't see it yesterday as I passed by the Mugamma.

Translation: "No to Military Rule"

This English translation was next to the Arabic street art.

WANTED

UPDATE 30 November 2011:

El Shenawy turned himself into the Ministry of Interior.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/28165/Egypt/Politics-/Sniper-of-the-eyes-surrenders-to-authorities-.aspx

UPDATE, 27 November 2011:

El Shenawy was not captured, but he will be summoned for questioning within the next 72 hours.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/28051/Egypt/Politics-/Security-source-denies-notorious-CSF-officer-at-la.aspx

UPDATE, 26 November 2011: CAPTURED

http://bikyamasr.com/49562/egypt-officer-who-was-cheered-for-shooting-protesters-eye-is-captured/

Translation:

WANTED

Search with the People

Two-Star Officer*: Mahmoud Sobhy El Shenawy

Officer in the Central Security Forces, accused of targeting eyes

Tens from the revolutionaries, the heroes in Tahrir.

Here is video of El Shenawy shooting protesters. This video was widely circulated on the internet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jzCqi_d0Yk

Leaflets were distributed around Midan Tahrir with a still-photo from the above video, stating that there's a 5,000 Egyptian pound reward for anyone who finds El Shenawy.

https://twitter.com/#!/SmithSofia/status/138870183547764736

*When an officer graduates from a 4 year college he automatically enters the CSF with 1 star. El Shenawy graduated college in 2009

Above are photos of the stencils used to produce the street art. The atmosphere in Midan Tahrir was very festive on Thursday--there were few ambulances and an abundance of families.

The violence near Midan Tahrir earlier in the week made it difficult for street artists to work. While the words down with SCAF were certainly abundant around Midan Tahrir, a certain degree of stability is necessary in order to create more detailed street art-- if you're worried about running from tear gas canisters, it's kind of hard to concentrate on making sure a stencil is straight.

Bashar El Assad

Translation: "King of the forest rides a tank."

The word forest (al-ghaba) is partially painted over.

This stencil of Bashar El Assad with a Hitler mustache (& the accompanying words) is by the street artist El Teneen. It began appearing in Cairo in August.

Translation: "The League of Sheikha Mozah"

These words are located on the gate of the Arab League (Gam'at El Duwal El Arabya) headquarters. There are two gates and both gates have the same words spray-painted on them.

Sheikha Mozah is the wife of the Qatari Emir. She was honored by the Health and Humanitarian Aid Department of the Arab League this October.

http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/qatar/162272-arab-league-body-to-honour-sheikha-moza.html

I am not sure when this street art was created or by whom and am thus not sure if there is a connection between the Sheikha Mozah and El Assad street art. I initially assumed that anything written on the Arab League gates was from the Syrian activists demonstrating outside and, considering how long the Syrian activists have been there, think that there is some validity to that assumption. Perhaps the Syrian activists renamed the League after Sheikha Mozah in order to shame it for concentrating on award ceremonies, instead of addressing the more pressing issue of the escalating brutality of Bashar El Assad and his regime in Syria.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the ongoing occupation of Midan Tahrir, Syrians continue to demonstrate outside the Arab League headquarters, which is located just off the Midan.

Today Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan called for Assad to step down. In his speech to the Turkish parliament, Erdogan said "Quit power before more blood is shed... for the peace of your people, your region and your country."

As I passed the building, I could see people snapping photos from the top floor balcony at the demonstrations in Midan Tahrir. Given the recent events in Cairo, it seems as though Erdogan's words wouldn't be out of place if directed at Egypt's SCAF.

Last week Jordan's King Abdullah called for Assad to step down, he was the first Arab leader to do so.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/~/NewsContent/2/8/27286/World/Region/Turkish-PM-calls-on-coward-Assad-to-quit.aspx

Bashar El Assad's regime did not comply with the Arab League's deadline for halting its violent crackdown.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15810579

Where is the Love?

Translation: "Mubarak--> with love <-- Tantawi"

Standing in Midan Tahrir today, I heard the same chants that I heard on Al Jazeera 10 months ago- the only difference is that the name has changed. From Mubarak to Tantawi, one most wonder, where is the love for the Egyptian people?

The Mugamma

As the demonstrations against SCAF went into the third day on Monday 21 November, a sense of calm prevailed in Midan Tahrir. I walked around the Mugamma (a part of the Midan that I don't usually pass) and found the following street art. Since it has been many weeks since I've walked passed the Mugamma, I can't verify when this street art was created. Because of the words, I am fairly confident that most of this street art was created recently. As you can see, there is white paint under the street art meaning that there is street art underneath that was painted over.

The Mugamma is a symbol of Egyptian bureaucracy. Most foreigners dread it because the building is where they must go to get their visas renewed (and their requests sometimes get denied or more often shortened by several months). The Mugamma itself is a large building that is located on Midan Tahrir in between the AUC downtown campus and the Omar Makram Mosque. There is a large green space in front of the Mugamma and many tents have been set up there. While there are clashes taking place on the side streets near Midan Tahrir, many people have set up camp in the green spaces in Midan Tahrir and have been sleeping here.

Translation: "My weapon is my thoughts."

Translation: "The next Revolution."

Translation: "We wont forget those who died."

Translation: "All of this is just the first wave."

Translation: "The interior (ministry) with the thugs" (El dakhlya bltageya)

The Central Security Forces (CSF) who are battling with the protesters are under control of the Ministry of Interior.

Translation: "Be Careful of the SCAF, it is a dead poison."

The above street art references the famous 1955 Egyptian movie, Life or Death.

In a scene in the film the police announce on the radio, "From the govenor of Cairo to Ahmed Ibrahim [a character in the film]: Do not drink the medicine that you sent your daughter to retrieve. There is a dead poison in the medicine. When you hear this announcement call the police station. And to anyone who knows Ahmed Ibrahim, notify him or call the police station."

Below is a Youtube clip (without subtitles) of the scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjXyhuxrG1g

Not all of the street art is writing, there are many images as well.

Translation: "We came back again"

The man has the word "police" written on him.

Translation: "The dogs howl... and the revolution marches on."

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.

Street Art? But Really

What is street art? In reality, I have been using the term as a politically-correct substitute so-to-speak for the graffiti which I have seen on the walls of buildings in Cairo.

I came across true street art-- art painted on the pavement-- for the first time on the night of the 18 November demonstrations. It was located on Qasr Al-Aini street, leading into Midan Tahrir.

The street art depicts the Statue of Liberty.

Translation: "Who is covered with America is naked."

As I write this post on Sunday 20 November, this street art is no longer visible. I can't imagine that it was deliberately erased, but rather it wore away under the pounding of running feet and falling stones. While the Midan itself is relatively calm right now (the actual fighting is limited to the surrounding areas, near the Ministry of Interior), a battle for Midan Tahrir took place last night. Demonstrators and security forces fought for control of the Midan, with each side occupying the Midan at different points throughout the night.

(This article provides a minute-by-minute break down of the events, but stops at 9pm. The best source of up-to-date news is Twitter--http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/0/26969/Egypt/0/Live-Updates-Egypts-police-forcibly-disperses-prot.aspx)

Was it the boots of a retreating soldier that buffed out the paint? Or the resilient return of a demonstrator? Either way, the art is gone. As the death toll rises from the sustained fighting, is my educated guess that this street art is just another victim of that fighting.

************************

But if the fighting destroyed street art, could it also create it? I passed this street (next to the AUC campus) on Saturday afternoon and saw only a few stray stones. When I passed the street this morning, however, it was covered in a thick layer of stones.

It's not pre-deposed graffiti, but it was on the streets on Cairo and it tells a story.

The Grim Reeper

Translation: "Revolution"

The hooded figure looks like the Grim Reeper or even a Dementor from Harry Potter.

The word revolution is painted in red, the color of blood. Is SCAF the Dementor and feeding off of the Revolution, the blood of those Egyptians who have died and the hearts of those who still remain in the Midan?

Why is the Dementor white and not black? Could it be a spoof off of the belief SCAF is the only viable option-- the only light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak-- in the chaos that has become Egypt?

I have heard many of my colleagues at AUC (not from the people in the Midan), that that Egypt has no option except for SCAF, that there is no alternative. (I have even heard not-so-hushed whispers that SCAF is a better alternative to the Islamists ruling Egypt.)

This mural was painted on Friday 19 November during the demonstrations. It was painted on Mohamed Mahmoud Street, just around the corner from The Wall and the street that the AUC Downtown campus gate is located.

The street is now the site of on-going fighting between demonstrators and the CSF (Central Security Forces)* that erupted after the CSF attempted to forcibly remove demonstrators who were occupying the Midan after Friday's demonstration.

(http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/world/middleeast/violence-erupts-in-cairo-as-egypts-military-cedes-political-ground.html?ref=middleeast&gwh=C33CBC2D9EDE5F2498BFB75AB653C5D0)

The street (one of many running into Midan Tahrir) connects the Midan to the Ministry of Interior (MOI). As the battle for control of Midan Tahrir is under way, the CSF (along with the police? and military police?) is loosely using the MOI as their home base, retreating there/ in that direction if/when necessary.

*There are many different types of Egyptian government security and the distinction at times can be crucial. (For example, during the Revolution it was the army who stepped in to protect the people when the CSF were attacking them).

Central Security Forces (CSF)= Amn al-Markazi

Army= Gesh

Police= Shorta

Military Police= Shorta al-Askaree

And then there is the plain clothes police

UPDATE, Tuesday 22 November

Here's a great article from Al Jazeera outlining the differences between the "familiar mix of black-clad riot police and baton-wielding soldiers in fatigues."

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/2011112113830284177.html

The Wall

The Wall is part of a building on the AUC Tahrir campus. (AUC has multiple campuses and satelittle locations in Cairo. The AUC Tahrir campus is the the smaller, original campus of AUC-- the University re-located to New Cairo, an hour bus ride from downtown. The majority of classes are at the AUC new campus). Snipers used this building to attack protesters during the revolution. (http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/15/egyptian-student-protests-american-university-cairo-- an AUC employee argued that he was fired for approaching the AUC administration about the topic). The building is located on the corner of Midan Tahrir and in front of a metro exit so it is very prominent; to this day it remains closed with many broken windows.

I walk by the Wall almost every day and have watched as it was painted on and then painted over. If only Walls could talk.

As I passed it today. I noticed that it had a fresh coat of paint. This is the first coat of paint after the 10/28 demonstrations. Who painted the Wall? And Why? When I walked passed it, it had already been painted-- I pass by the Wall at all hours, but I have never seen anyone painting it white. While it would be easy to think that the police or AUC staff painted over the Wall, let's take a closer look at the timing. There is a major demonstration planned for this Friday (parties from across the spectrum-- including Islamists-- are calling for a million-man march, ) if the SCAF does not revoke its controversial draft of "supra-constitutional principles" by Wednesday.

(The document gives ALOT of power to the military in the drafting of the constitution and future structure of the Egyptian government. The Constitution itself will not be drafted until after the Parliament opens in March 2012--

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/26468/Egypt/Politics-/Egypts-political-forces-throw-down-gauntlet-over-s.aspx)

Could it then have been street artists that painted over the Wall in anticipation of Friday's protest, knowing that they will need a clean slate on which to work?

Not all street art on the AUC perimeter has been painted over. The Wall itself is the most prominent portion of the AUC perimeter, but around the corner a lot of street art remains. I'm not sure when this mural was painted, but it has been here since I arrived in early August and remains untouched (i.e. other artists have respected it and not painted over it).

Translation: "Oh God, My Savior for reform"

Banksy?

While Banksy's work has not been directly spotted in Cairo, his presence is nevertheless felt. His film "Exit Through The Giftshop" will be screened later this week at the Townhouse Gallery.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/5/32/23258/Arts--Culture/Film/Graffiti-artist-Banksys-first-film-to-be-screened-.aspx

I have admired Banksy's work from afar for many years. He is a British graffiti-artist who is one of the pioneer's of street art. He has done many provocative works across the globe, yet never shows his face (even in his film). He has done several pieces on the Israeli/ Palestinian Separation Wall. (http://www.banksy.co.uk/)

During the 28 October demonstrations, I found a piece of street art (right) that reminded me of one of Banksy's pieces (left).

(http://therealsasha.wordpress.com/2011/10/10/street-art-or-graffiti/)

The two pieces certainly have there differences (for starters, the two men are facing in opposite directions), but I nevertheless find them remarkably similar.

While the man in Banksy's piece is throwing a bouquet of flowers, it is unclear what the man in the Cairo piece is throwing. Thoughts?

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Speak no evil. See no evil. Hear no evil.

Who is the monkey? SCAF or the Egyptian people-- does SCAF want to prevent the Egyptian people from knowing the truth or are the people ignoring it themselves?

This stencil first appeared during the 28 October demonstrations. I have seen 6 or 7 of the stencils around Midan Tahrir, far less than the number of other stencils.

The Cow

Translation: "The Cow calling haha [name of the cow's owner] and say to my children [the people] haha and the good people with manners, haha, deeply sleeping."

"Al Bukra tnady haha w tkool ya wlady haha w wlad elshoom haha rayheen fe elnoom haha"

The street art is a spoof of the famous Egyptian song "البقرة النطاحة" "Elbkra elntaha" [The Cow who moves his head to hit someone]. The song was a popular refrain during the Revolution. The stencil first appeared during the 28 October demonstrations.

In the song...A man has a cow on which his livelihood depends, but the foreigners stole his cow & all her milk. His cow calls the men with the good manners to come and save her as she's being stolen, but everyone was sleeping. The cow is overwhelmed by her captives and falls into a well in her struggle. "She falls from fear."

Ahmed Fouad Negm wrote this song in 1967 after the "nkba" [catastrophe], i.e. Israeli victory of The Six-Day War in which Israel seized the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt.

In this context: the cow is Sinai Penninsula, those sleeping are the Egyptian military and the foreigners are Israeli.

But who is the cow now? Maybe the revolution is the cow and the Egyptian people are those sleeping while SCAF is the foreigner who is stealing the revolution. If so, how will the cow get out of the well? Will the people of Egypt wake up?

Here are the song's lyrics in Arabic and English.

http://revolutionaryarabicpoetry.blogspot.com/2011/07/cow.html

Here is a Youtube clip of Ahmed Fouad Negm preforming the original song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghGSW-K2_m8

Here is a Youtube clip of Azza Balbaa, a famous Egyptian singer, singing the song in MidanTahrir during the Revolution.

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