http://egyptianchronicles.blogspot.com/2015/09/the-end-of-graffiti-era-in-mohamed.html
The end of graffiti era in Mohamed Mahmoud street
Thursday afternoon, many people were surprised to find out that there
were municipal workers demolishing the famous graffiti American
University in Cairo “AUC” wall in the famous Mohamed Mahmoud wall.
I headed there and I asked them what was going on and workers who were
puzzled on why young people were photographing them told me that it was
by the orders of Cairo governorate.
 |
| Working and breaking down the wall on Thursday. |
According to the AUC media office, the University decided to demolish
its Science building in the AUC Tahrir campus Mohamed Mahmoud street as
part of the Tahrir renovation plan of Cairo governorate.
 |
| They started with that part of the wall |
The AUC science building will be replaced by a garden accordingly as it
has not been used since the AUC campus was transferred to New Cairo. The
Tahrir AUC Campus already is turned into a cultural hub.
It turned out that this plan was announced last month and nobody paid attention to.
 |
A graffiti commemorating young graffiti artist Hisham Rizak, who was killed in
strange circumstances in July 2014 |
Now there are conflicting reports about the fate of the famous Graffiti AUC graffiti wall.
 |
Opmissitica graffiti showing the famous smile of activist Ahmed Douma who is currently
serving several jail sentences including illegal protesting |
The media center in the AUC says that it will be completely demolished
and replaced by a fence while the AUC professors say that the wall will
be kept and that part demolished will be turned into a gate.
When it comes to the graffiti, the AUC said that it documented all the
phases of the graffiti painted on the wall in photos which will be used
in exhibitions later.
 |
An old man reading the plaques on the wall where martyrs and revolutionary
poetry are inscribed. |
Personally I have a suggestion, instead of demolishing graffiti wall ,
the AUC can split the wall into graffiti murals and transfer them to
other places or put them in that garden they are planning like what
happened with Berlin Walls.
 |
A mural commemorating the martyrs after 3 July including late 18-years old artist
Essam Eissa. |
Anyhow , this is like an end for the graffiti era in Mohamed Mahmoud
street because after all despite there are graffiti paintings and murals
all over the street yet the most famous are the AUC walls part , which
looks over Tahrir square.
 |
This graffiti commemorating Suez martyr Bassem Mohsen watches over
Tahrir square. Mohsen , who lost an eye in Mohamed Mahmoud 2011,
was killed in clashes in Suez in December 2013 |
Now most of the famous young graffiti artists in Egypt have left Egypt. I
think painting anti-regime graffiti murals now can be a criminal act
according to the law if I am not mistaken recently.
 |
| I do not think that graffiti slamming the Ministry of interior will be welcomed. |
The only type of graffiti now allowed in Egypt are the state-sponsored graffiti/coloring initiatives like
“We are going to color it”
 |
| Or that graffiti slamming the MOI's central security forces |
By the way speaking about graffiti, I can’t ignore the fact there are Arab graffiti artists featured in
Banksy’s Dismaland including Egyptian graffiti artist
El-Teneen.
This is the graffiti painting of El-Teneen in the not-so-usual amusement park.
 |
| By El-Teneen |
El-Teneen already got a painting currently on the Mohamed Mahmoud AUC graffiti wall.
 |
| The king and his pawns "El-Teneen" |
Of course, I will seize this opportunity to post my Graffiti photo album as usual.
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