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In Pictures: Graffiti tells the story of Egypt’s revolution

Graffiti artists expressed the arc of Egypt’s uprising – from rage to euphoria to disillusionment.

Graffiti from before Mubarak stepped down reads: "January 25: the most wonderful and most noble day of all of Egypt’s days” and “The square of martyrs”, painted on the ground  in  Tahrir Square [Mosa'ab Elshamy]
Graffiti from before Mubarak stepped down reads: "January 25: the most wonderful and most noble day of all of Egypt’s days” and “The square of martyrs”, painted on the ground  in  Tahrir Square [Mosa'ab Elshamy]
11 Feb 2021

During 18 gripping days in early 2011, dramatic images emerged from Egypt set against a soundtrack of public rage.

Round the clock news coverage of the demonstrations centred on Cairo’s Tahrir Square, as the world waited to see if the region’s most populous country would follow Tunisia’s lead in throwing off the rule of their strongman president.

Amid the protests, artists, activists and plain fed-up people made their mark in graffiti on the walls and pavements around Tahrir Square.

The graffiti of the Egyptian revolution tells the story of its people’s shifting sentiments: from the early days of shaky handwritten messages telling long-ruling President Hosni Mubarak to leave after the uprising began on January 25, 2011, to fascinating mash-ups of Egyptian identity evoking the artist’s pride in the people’s strength, angry demands that the people’s voice be heard, and humorous mockery of the system they were working to overthrow.

On February 11, 2011, Mubarak finally stepped down, sparking wild, nearly uncontainable euphoria among the protesters.

But graffiti artists kept working to tell the world the tumultuous ongoing story of the uprising.

Wall art during the early days of the uprising by anonymous graffiti artist Keizer showing King Tutankhamen dressed as revolutionary Che Guevara. Keizer remains anonymous, but his works rose to national fame during the Egyptian revolution. [Lilian Wagdy]
Wall art during the early days of the uprising by anonymous graffiti artist Keizer showing King Tutankhamen dressed as revolutionary Che Guevara. Keizer remains anonymous, but his works rose to national fame during the Egyptian revolution. [Lilian Wagdy]
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Protesters wave the Egyptian flag in front of a police vehicle sprayed with: "Down with Mubarak" and "The end" on January 29, 2011. [Hossam el-Hamalawy]
Protesters wave the Egyptian flag in front of a police vehicle sprayed with: "Down with Mubarak" and "The end" on January 29, 2011. [Hossam el-Hamalawy]
A message scrawled across a wall in chalk pokes fun at both how long Mubarak had ruled Egypt and at the greed of those in power. [Christian Minke]
A message scrawled across a wall in chalk pokes fun at both how long Mubarak had ruled Egypt and at the greed of those in power. [Christian Minke]
A stencil of Mubarak's face - which became a familiar sight around Tahrir Square - with the word "Leave" next to it. On the left is a stencil of the uprising's famous chant: "The people want to overthrow the regime". [Maggie Osama]
A stencil of Mubarak's face - which became a familiar sight around Tahrir Square - with the word "Leave" next to it. On the left is a stencil of the uprising's famous chant: "The people want to overthrow the regime". [Maggie Osama]
On Mohamed Mahmoud Street, which leads to Tahrir Square, protesters ride an army tank spray-painted with the message "Down with Mubarak". [Hossam el-Hamalawy]
On Mohamed Mahmoud Street, which leads to Tahrir Square, protesters ride an army tank spray-painted with the message "Down with Mubarak". [Hossam el-Hamalawy]
A message appears on a wall in Tahrir Square following the overthrow of Mubarak that reads: "A real revolutionary completes their revolution." After Mubarak stepped down, splits began to appear among the protesters. [Maggie Osama]
A message appears on a wall in Tahrir Square following the overthrow of Mubarak that reads: "A real revolutionary completes their revolution." After Mubarak stepped down, splits began to appear among the protesters. [Maggie Osama]
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A protester sleeps under a stencil of Mubarak's face and the message: "He's not on trial yet" - part of a call for demonstrations in Tahrir Square to demand that the deposed Mubarak be put on trial. [Mosa'ab Elshamy]
A protester sleeps under a stencil of Mubarak's face and the message: "He's not on trial yet" - part of a call for demonstrations in Tahrir Square to demand that the deposed Mubarak be put on trial. [Mosa'ab Elshamy]
Tank vs Cyclist, by Ganzeer. Painted over old advertisements and lovers' scribbles, this mural shows an army tank taking aim at a young "bread boy" on his bicycle. "Bread boys" are an iconic sight in Egypt and symbolic of the daily struggle to get basic sustenance as they weave through sometimes-dangerous traffic on their bikes with racks of fresh bread on their heads. A sad, slouching panda was painted the same night. [Unknown]
Tank vs Cyclist, by Ganzeer. Painted over old advertisements and lovers' scribbles, this mural shows an army tank taking aim at a young "bread boy" on his bicycle. "Bread boys" are an iconic sight in Egypt and symbolic of the daily struggle to get basic sustenance as they weave through sometimes-dangerous traffic on their bikes with racks of fresh bread on their heads. A sad, slouching panda was painted the same night. [Unknown]
This piece from Mohamed Mahmoud Street shows Egyptian actress Hend Rostom, famous for her seductive presence on screen and her husky, sensual voice, pouting as she tells Mubarak: "We'll come get you from Sharm, Souna, you traitor!" - referring to frustration at Mubarak’s taking refuge in the Sharm El-Sheikh resort. The phrase is reminiscent of Rostom berating an errant lover in one of her many films. [Lilian Wagdy]
This piece from Mohamed Mahmoud Street shows Egyptian actress Hend Rostom, famous for her seductive presence on screen and her husky, sensual voice, pouting as she tells Mubarak: "We'll come get you from Sharm, Souna, you traitor!" - referring to frustration at Mubarak’s taking refuge in the Sharm El-Sheikh resort. The phrase is reminiscent of Rostom berating an errant lover in one of her many films. [Lilian Wagdy]
Prior to public anger over the military's seeming usurpation of the revolution, the chant "The people and the army are one hand" was heard often in protests. Here graffiti in Tahrir Square reads: "The people and the people are one hand,” “The revolution has God to protect it” - reflecting the souring attitude towards the military. In the foreground, a street child flashes the peace sign, with the number 25 - for January 25, the first day of the uprising - shaved into his hair. [Mosa'ab Elshamy]
Prior to public anger over the military's seeming usurpation of the revolution, the chant "The people and the army are one hand" was heard often in protests. Here graffiti in Tahrir Square reads: "The people and the people are one hand,” “The revolution has God to protect it” - reflecting the souring attitude towards the military. In the foreground, a street child flashes the peace sign, with the number 25 - for January 25, the first day of the uprising - shaved into his hair. [Mosa'ab Elshamy]
Peace Machine, by El Zeft. Painted onto a wall on the island of Roda in Cairo, this mural shows a machine gun firing white doves of peace instead of bullets. [Unknown]
Peace Machine, by El Zeft. Painted onto a wall on the island of Roda in Cairo, this mural shows a machine gun firing white doves of peace instead of bullets. [Unknown]

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