Walls of Freedom: Street Art of the Egyptian Revolution

Review by Andy Mendez

The short:

Walls of Freedom is part documentary, part political commentary, and part photojournalism. It narrates the key events that took place during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 by walking through the activist art that became prominent symbols of resistance during this time.

The long:

There are tons of novels, memoirs, and political analyses that have been written on the events of the Arab Spring, particularly as they played out in the Arab Republic of Egypt. Walls of Freedom is unique in that it centers on the work of activists, photographers, and graffiti artists who used art as a vehicle to document their demands in a context where government censorship and media propaganda were being used to discredit protestors and suppress their voices.

To read or not to read:

Read! Even if you’ve read all there is to read about the Egyptian revolution, this book provides a fresh take on the events directly from the perspective of ordinary Egyptians who were on the frontlines. While other books delve into the political realities at play during these uprisings, Walls of Freedom is one of the few books that deeply examines how contemporary cultural ideas were an equally decisive factor in the birth and character of the revolution.