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On Graffiti and the Ephemera of Resistance in Egypt

An event with Dr. alma khasawnih

 

Saturday, January 18th, 2025

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

This event will examine the contested urban landscapes of Cairo in the aftermath of the 25 January Revolution, centering on the corner of Mohamed Mahmoud Street and Youssef El-Gendy Street. Exploring the tensions among those who created aesthetic ephemera on its walls, the presentation will consider broader issues of access to and policing of public space. To that end, it will investigate the gendered and classed dynamics of graffiti, highlighting its dual role as a revolutionary medium of expression and a target of erasure through state-led beautification campaigns. A visual presentation of the street corner’s transformation will be followed by an open discussion on the intersection of public space, artistic expression, and sociopolitical power.

Dr. alma khasawnih is a scholar whose work explores visual culture, feminist theory, and urban space in post-colonial and settler-colonial contexts. Her research critically examines ephemeral public art, such as graffiti and murals, as sites of resistance and negotiation, particularly in the wake of social and political upheavals. Rooted in transnational feminist scholarship, her work interrogates questions of citizenship, nationalism, and public memory, with a focus on how marginalized voices reshape urban landscapes. She is an associate professor in the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at The College of New Jersey in the United States.

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Calligraphy Nefertiti, Amro Ali. 6 December 2017

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