Street art from Cairo

Retro basha. (Zamalek)

These photos were all taken in August 2011 on a walking tour of Cairo, in an effort to capture the remaining traces of the revolution. The mediums are varied—stencil, graffiti, wheat paste, poster, and paint—but there’s an unmistakeable urgency behind each piece needs to be preserved and shared. (I snuck in an anachronistic sculpture of Gamal Abdel Nasser out of sheer surprise with the simultaneous effect of reverence and caricature it produces.) Much of the original street art produced during the January 25 revolution has been removed (by a paid shadow army of graffiti removers, it is said). All photos taken on an iPhone 3GS camera.

 Vintage Hosni Mubarak. (Tahrir Square)

The luckiest air conditioner in Cairo. (Zamalek)

‘Hind Rustom, who died about two weeks ago. The caption says, “We’ll get you from Sharm, Sona, you traitor.” The second part plays off a line in one of Rustom’s films.’ (Downtown Tahrir. Thanks MM.)

Tweeting birds and bleating antennas. (Zamalek)

I’ll protect you. (Zamalek)

When the cats are away, the mice will play. (Zamalek)

Negative Hosni. (Zamalek)

All tied up in Cairo. (Zamalek)

A homemade panegyric. (Downtown work studio)

Mr. Lonelyhearts. (Downtown Tahrir)

Use it or lose it. (Zamalek)

The walls are watching. (Downtown Tahrir)

The revolution continues. (Tahrir Square)

Boob tube head. (Zamalek)

Signs of a material life. (Downtown Tahrir)

Gamal’s bust. (Statue tucked away behind a walled park in Garden City, date unknown.)

[Related: One can of spray paint]

(All photos taken by South/South.)