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2011-11-07
"We are all Khaled Said" Video Release
Things have come full circle. Today our “Khaled Said on the Berlin Wall” project is concluded by the release of a video clip in honor of the Egyptian people. The video accompanies the powerful rap song “Al Esteslam” (Giving Up), which was written and performed by Khaled Said in 2007 and given to us by his sister.
There is much more to tell. More events are coming up and we have just completed our visit to Egypt – with amazing results. Just like it was from the beginning of this incredible journey; everything fell in its place in a marvelous manner.
The Aftermath
On the night of the posting of Khaled Said’s portrait in September, it immediately went viral on the Internet. The next morning we found thousands of comments and shares from all over the world across social networks. The story appeared in newspapers and TV news in the Arab world and beyond. We would like to thank everyone for their recognition and support.
Alexandria
Invited by the Goethe-Institute in Alexandria the Ma’Claim crew painted two Murals in the city. AYA TAREK and a group of local Street Artists created another mural on the same spot.
“Tribute to the Arab Revolution”, by AKUT, TASSO, CASE, RUSK, Alexandria, 2011
This Tribute to the Arab Revolution, by AKUT, TASSO, CASE, RUSK (Ma’Claim), depicts four panels with seemingly identical paintings: A mass of people raising their fists and one hand making the “Peace” sign. “This symbolizes victory as well as it stands for the peace and freedom, which we all hope follows afterwards.” says CASE. The secret of this mural is that it – just like the revolution – extends into the Internet and uses it to further reveal its message. Ma’Claim did not want to make a political statement for one group or notion, but rather honor the power of a movement that has inspired the world.
GIF-Animation: Like the revolution the mural “uses” the Internet to reveal its message.
We also had a very interesting artist talk and a book release of “Arabic Graffiti” in Alexandria. The “We are all Khaled Said” movie was screened twice to deeply moved crowds -first at the Goethe Institute and later at the unveiling celebration of one of the murals. A concert by Revolution Recordz and the performance and local break dancers turned this into a nice block party.
Cairo
On his first day in Egypt, Joel Sames, who documented the project from the beginning,
appeared on a popular Egyptian TV show. Together with Khaled’s Said’s mother Laila Marzouk and his sister Zahraa Kassem, they discussed the importance of this portrait on the Berlin Wall and the plans by Case to recreate it again in Egypt. Mother and sister are both still loud voices in Egypt’s unfinished revolution.
Just days before our arrival, the Military had clashed in Cairo with what had started as a peaceful demonstration of 10,000 Christian but also Muslim demonstrators. 28 died in front of the Egyptian State TV building in what is now known as the Maspero massacre. Mina Daniel, a famous activist was one of the victims.
Shortly after his death, Khaled Said’s mother visited Mina Daniel’s family. The meeting of the two mothers, one Muslim the other Christian was recounting one of the dreams of the revolution - the unity between the members of both faiths in Egypt.
The Ma’Claim crew painted another mural in Cairo after arriving from Alexandria and we gave an artist talk and held an Arabic Graffiti book release downtown at the Townhouse Gallery. CASE stayed in Cairo for his own personal mission.
After painting in front of the Ministry of Interior, and after a lot of thought he decided that a mere reproduction of his portrait of Khaled Said was not enough to convey the message he wanted to tell.
The mural he finally painted, in front of the Townhouse Gallery, is a portrait of an Egyptian boy whom Case met in the street while painting in Cairo. Behind him he placed simple, black stencils of Khaled Said and Mina Daniel. The boy is alive looking forward to the possibilities of a better future for which Khaled and Daniel died.
“The mural represents the hope we all have for the coming generations in Egypt.” CASE
Photo credits: Joel Sames
Special thanks goes to: Goethe Institute Alexandria, Daniel Stoevesandt, Dahlia Rafaat, Shalan Mariam; The Townhouse Gallery Cairo; Angie Balata, Goethe Institute Cairo & Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
See more pictures of the tour on Facebook.
Events
11.-23. November – Frankfurt
“A soul for sale or rent”
Exhibition by Case, Andreas von Chrzanowski
Vernissage: 10. November, 7.30pm
Brücke66
02. December – Montreal
“Arab Winter” Exhibition opening
Sundus Abdul Hadi, Tamara Abdul Hadi, Sawsan Al Saraf, El Seed, Karim Jabbari, Yassin Al Salman (The Narcicyst)
Arabic Graffiti book release and book signing
“This is not a regular exhibit – you will leave Montreal and be transported to the streets of Tunis, Damascus, Iraq, and Cairo.” El Seed
7 pm
Under Pressure Fresh Paint Gallery
180 Saint-Catherine East; Montreal
03.-24. December – Montreal
“Arab Winter” Exhibition
Under Pressure Fresh Paint Gallery
2011-09-23
Portrait of Khaled Said on the Berlin Wall
"They broke down the Berlin Wall for freedom and unity. Kahled Said got killed for the same reason, for freedom and democracy. Khaled would be very happy if he was with us today. We will not forget you Khaled and we will bring your rights back. And we will bring every Egyptian's right back. We are all Khaled Said!" Zahraa Said Kassem
above:"Khaled's rights are Egypt's rights" written by Zahraa Kassem
below:"We are all Khaled Said", calligraphy by Mohamed Gaber painted by Case
On Monday, September 19th, Khaled Said was posthumously awarded the Human Rights Award 2011 together with Slim Amamou from Tunisia in Berlin. Zahraa Kassem, representing her slain brother Khaled Said received the award in his name.
Khaled Said, Egyptian Internet activist, rapper and blogger, was brutally beaten to death by two policemen on 6 June 2010 in Alexandria. His death triggered massive protests and the Facebook page “We are all Khaled Said” became one of the main catalysts of the revolution. Khaled Said, has become a symbolic figure and the face of the revolution in Egypt.
Zahraa Said Kassem
Khaled Said's portrait is immortalized in Egypt in countless graffiti, street art murals and stencils in cities like Alexandria and Cairo. For Khaled Said's sister it was very important to do him that honor in Berlin as well. The famous German photo realist and graffiti artist Andreas von Chrzanowski aka Case painted two original pieces of the Berlin Wall and finished the artwork during the award ceremony.
Zahraa Said Kassem with Slim Amanou
Both pieces of the Berlin Wall originate from the area between the Brandenburger Tor and Potsdamer Platz and were transported to the venue. Each piece weighs 3,8 tons.
The deeply symbolic painting will later be prominently placed at the Freedom Park on the banks of the river Spree. In October this year, the portrait will be painted again by Case in Khaled Said's home town Alexandria, as part of a project with the Goethe Institute.
"We organized this project in three days and none of the thousands of things that could have gone wrong actually did. It is very rare in life that people and events come together like they did here." Don Karl
A photo and video documentation by Joel Sames about the painting process will follow soon.
This is a project by Don Karl, publisher and co-author of the book "Arabic Graffiti" & Hip Hop Stuetzpunkt Berlin - in collaboration with The Dudes Factory (Freedom Park) & Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation.
Photos download (Credits: Joel Sames / courtesy of From Here to Fame):
High Res: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11105215/Khaled_Said_Berlin_Wall_HighRes.zip
Low Res: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/11105215/Khaled_Said_Berlin_Wall_LowRes.zip
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