Writing About Graffiti in Cairo- One Year On

‘Thawretna Hatekmal’ Our revolution will be completed by KIM

If this post comes across as offensive, arrogant or downright nasty to anyone, I apologise in advance; I literally woke up on the wrong side of bed and pulled a shoulder, so I’m cranky; plus this matter has been on my mind for several months now.

This time last year I launched this blog thinking a few people, including my friends, would read it, so I was extremely surprised and happy to see it circulated well, eventually putting me in touch with artists, institutions and media interested in Cairo graffiti. It’s been a great year to document this fascinating phenomenon, but I’d like to make the following points to those interested in writing about or contacting graffiti artists:

1. I am not their agent or your fixer; I will not pass on their personal contact info and I cannot pressure them into answering your calls or emails, into attending your events or endorsing your projects. I have included below a list of artists with their Facebook profiles; that way you can contact them directly and they will choose to add you and answer you if they please. If their name is not on the list, I can’t help you get in touch with them.

2. I am not a graffiti expert or authority. This is a blog, meaning i’m writing from a biased perspective. I do not represent or speak on behalf or take responsibility for anyone. If you choose to cite my opinion as a fact, that’s your decision, not mine.

3. It’s been fifteen months since the revolution. Find a new angle other than revolutionary graffiti/street art in Cairo. Even better, go outside of Cairo and explore the scenes in other governates. There have been countless articles published over the past year on the subject, so a fresh perspective would be great.

4. Please do not ask me to write your assignment/article/research paper for you. Cairo graffiti is extensively documented, and if you read all the online material out there, including articles and video footage, you’ll have a concise perspective on the subject. If you want me to do your research for you, pay me.

5. If you want to publish my photos and you’re a website I will give them to you for free in return for link-backs. If you’re a print edition, I will sell them to you. It’s that simple. Just because I’m not a professional photographer and living in a third-world country doesn’t mean I’m not aware that photographs are bought and sold and that newspapers and magazines have adequate budgets to afford them. I could tell you a few stories about which publications did what, but I’ll keep my mouth shut. However, in the case of a major publication that refused to buy my photographs, then lied to the freelance reporter who wrote an excellent piece about international street art, telling him they couldn’t find hi-res photos, thus not publishing his piece at all – I’d like to say: ekhs, etfou.

6. Please note that all, if not most of my images are watermarked, sometimes with a subtle white watermark. If you reproduce them without my consent, I will get in touch with you and pursue legal action.

7. There are great online archives available on Cairo street art and graffiti artists; you’ll find upcoming events posted, conversations between artists and stencils exchanged:

Revolution Graffiti- Street Art of the New Egypt

Mad Graffiti Week

Graffiti in the Streets of Egypt

Alexandria Graffiti

Graffiti in Egypt

8. You can get in touch with the following artists via these links:

Sad Panda

Ganzeer or his website

Keizer or his website

El Teneen

Aya Tarek or her twitter account

Ammar Abo Bakr