Activists
Despite not being a coherent art movement, some of the most immediate, insightful and human art seen for some time has been produced during the Arab Spring in 2011 when protesters armed with spray cans articulated their interpretations of the uprising on the walls around them. Not that present and common in the Arab world before the uprising, graffiti became a tool for providing social and political meaning. Filled with vibrant political and social commentary, the streets became canvases for artists to show their revolt, to remember people who have been lost and communicate directly to the oppressors. Ranging from writings to drawings and varying in techniques used, graffiti were the only public means for sending a message. Realizing the power and danger behind these artistic expressions confronting censorship and oppression, the government soon started whitewashing them only to trigger more artists to come back. The Arab Spring has launched careers of many artists such as el Seed, Zoo-Project, Ganzeer, El Teneen, Aya Tarek, Alaa Awad or Ammar Abo Bakr, and has been a subject of numerous curated exhibitions.
Featured image: A graffiti in Egypt, via businessinsider.com