"What you see is not what you think"
March 30, 2016 8:47 PM Subscribe
Perception , the latest mural from French-Tunisian 'calligraffti' artist eL Seed, sprawls across more than 50 buildings in Cairo's Mansyiyat Naser neighbourhood, home of the city's informal garbage collectors and one of the poorest areas in the city. Aerial video of the piece.
Artist's note:
A profile on eL Seed by The Culture Trip: Tunisia’s Pioneering ‘Calligraffiti’ Artist eL Seed - Politics, Power and Paint
More of eL Seed's work can be seen in on his website.
Artist's note:
"In the neighborhood of Manshiyat Nasr in Cairo, the Coptic community of Zaraeeb collects the trash of the city for decades and developed the most efficient and highly profitable recycling system on a global level. Still, the place is perceived as dirty, marginalized and segregated.eL Seed spoke about his work generally for TED in March 2015: Street art with a message of hope and peace
To bring light on this community, with my team and the help of the local community, I created an anamorphic piece that covers almost 50 buildings only visible from a certain point of the Moqattam Mountain. The piece of art uses the words of Saint Athanasius of Alexandria, a Coptic Bishop from the 3rd century, that said: ‘Anyone who wants to see the sunlight clearly needs to wipe his eye first.’"
A profile on eL Seed by The Culture Trip: Tunisia’s Pioneering ‘Calligraffiti’ Artist eL Seed - Politics, Power and Paint
More of eL Seed's work can be seen in on his website.
Astonishing. Incidentally I think "a Coptic Bishop from the 3rd Century" slightly undersells Athanasius the Great.
posted by Segundus at 11:36 PM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by Segundus at 11:36 PM on March 30, 2016 [3 favorites]
Interesting he painted a bunch of buildings and made art out of poor people's homes in such a way that the best view is from an airplane. It's good, now as the the rich fly towards the city, they can think about the art instead of the people between the buildings. You say you live in squalor? How so? It is one of the most talked about art installations in the city?
This tone deaf message brought to you by the letters 'F' and 'U' and all the numbers over $250,000.
posted by Nanukthedog at 5:08 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
This tone deaf message brought to you by the letters 'F' and 'U' and all the numbers over $250,000.
posted by Nanukthedog at 5:08 AM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
Counterpoint: now people from all over the world are paying more attention to the Garbage City than they did before, including when they fly over it.
Before, it was easier to pretend it doesn't really exist, so this art is drawing attention to the fact that the area lacks infrastructure and often has no running water, sewers, or electricity.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:22 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
Before, it was easier to pretend it doesn't really exist, so this art is drawing attention to the fact that the area lacks infrastructure and often has no running water, sewers, or electricity.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:22 AM on March 31, 2016 [3 favorites]
Interesting he painted a bunch of buildings and made art out of poor people's homes in such a way that the best view is from an airplane. It's good, now as the the rich fly towards the city, they can think about the art instead of the people between the buildings. You say you live in squalor? How so? It is one of the most talked about art installations in the city?
Wait, are you joking? I don't understand. I mean, I understand this paragraph, but is your comment serious?
posted by latkes at 11:30 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
Wait, are you joking? I don't understand. I mean, I understand this paragraph, but is your comment serious?
posted by latkes at 11:30 AM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I mean, I know this is Metafilter, but the fact that this piece of art can be seen from a plane (although I note the even without clicking the links you'd be able to tell that it's designed to be viewed from the ground) really doesn't seem like a reason to take offence.
It's paint on walls. It's beautiful. It also draws attention to an overlooked area. It's not doing any harm. And while maybe there are more important things to be worrying about, that's no reason to get angry at this piece of art or the artist. They did not create, and are not supporting, the inequality of the world.
posted by howfar at 2:55 PM on March 31, 2016
It's paint on walls. It's beautiful. It also draws attention to an overlooked area. It's not doing any harm. And while maybe there are more important things to be worrying about, that's no reason to get angry at this piece of art or the artist. They did not create, and are not supporting, the inequality of the world.
posted by howfar at 2:55 PM on March 31, 2016
I just genuinely was unclear from the second paragraph if the first paragraph was serious.
I don't agree with it, but I do think it's a valid critique, and would certainly take it very seriously if coming from an Egyptian trash picker or someone who had long-term involvement with in advocacy in that community.
Without knowing if that critique exists, for now I think more art is a good thing for all of us.
posted by latkes at 2:59 PM on March 31, 2016
I don't agree with it, but I do think it's a valid critique, and would certainly take it very seriously if coming from an Egyptian trash picker or someone who had long-term involvement with in advocacy in that community.
Without knowing if that critique exists, for now I think more art is a good thing for all of us.
posted by latkes at 2:59 PM on March 31, 2016
How is it a valid critique?
Interesting he painted a bunch of buildings and made art out of poor people's homes in such a way that the best view is from an airplane.
Nope. It's designed to be viewed from a specific point on Moqattam Mountain. A place anyone can go.
It's good, now as the the rich fly towards the city, they can think about the art instead of the people between the buildings.
You mean, as they read the message of a Coptic bishop, in the often ignored Coptic neighbourhood, about the importance of self reflection and humility?
eL Seed self funded the installation, with the consent, cooperation and support of the people in the neighbourhood. From the NYT article, "The only complaint was that that the artists had not painted more of the houses"
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:09 PM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
Interesting he painted a bunch of buildings and made art out of poor people's homes in such a way that the best view is from an airplane.
Nope. It's designed to be viewed from a specific point on Moqattam Mountain. A place anyone can go.
It's good, now as the the rich fly towards the city, they can think about the art instead of the people between the buildings.
You mean, as they read the message of a Coptic bishop, in the often ignored Coptic neighbourhood, about the importance of self reflection and humility?
eL Seed self funded the installation, with the consent, cooperation and support of the people in the neighbourhood. From the NYT article, "The only complaint was that that the artists had not painted more of the houses"
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:09 PM on March 31, 2016 [2 favorites]
Some good work in progress shots here. Something the NYT article forgot to mention - the whole thing only took 3 weeks!
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:45 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:45 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
In the same vein: Mexican Government Asked Street Artists To Paint 200 Houses To Unite Community
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:47 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:47 PM on March 31, 2016 [1 favorite]
And, finally, as long as we are talking about art that can only be seen from planes, one of the world's largest murals is only visible from above. Fortunately, it's next to an airport.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:49 PM on March 31, 2016
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:49 PM on March 31, 2016
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posted by pwally at 10:10 PM on March 30, 2016