On Defiance

The outraging reality of downtown Cairo where concrete blocks have been cutting off streets preventing residents and buisnesses from moving in the surrounding area of the ministry of interior has been widely discussed and criticized. Two weeks ago some graffiti artists challenged the walls with an event called 'mafeesh godran' promoted via social media, and drew street extensions of what happens on the other side, art challenges authority.

More information here 
And a detailed coverage here

The photos below have been floating around on facebook, only one indicates the photographer's name. 

The Red Lines of Cairo

One of the red lines that were added surrounding the ministry of defense area, and where barbed wire, and army soldiers prevent Friday marches from proceeding forward. On normal weekdays, they are just painted lines... traces of dissecting Cairo and its people.

photo by author

Cairo; a city of walls & barricades

"Recurrent street battles between police and protesters have led the interior ministry to literally wall itself in"

Map via Ahram Online



Random Note (RN) 01

I look you in the eyes... and with all the uncertainties... with all the impossibilities... i say... leave me be.

The question

It will haunt you day and night... till its intolerable... and its pain unbearable.
And still it shall remain unanswered...

What if...

Remember

Walk the streets… wait helplessly to cross… and remember me.

Drink the water… enjoy the meals… and remember me.

Speak the language… and when you fail… remember me.

Let the loud horns drive you crazy… and the polluted air paralyze you… and remember me.

Spend hours in traffic… go brand shopping in the mall… end your day in the same café… and remember me.

Look with disgust at the tainted dirty buildings… and the donkey carts…

Feel overwhelmed by the smiling faces… and the scarcity of trees…

And remember me.

At every corner… every shop… every sidewalk…

And with every special place… or memory… stop… and remember me.

May every second you spend… every breath you take… every scene… every person you look in the eyes… may every step you walk… every word you say… and every feeling… remind you of me... and how wrong you were.

Remember me… and suffer…

Over and over again…

Remember me…

And suffer.

written: 28.04.2011

Another Photo series from Dubai

A wonderful photograph series taken from a helicopter portraying Dubai's interrupted development here by Thomas Kalak

and another post i came across, the charter of dubai by SMAQ here, a manifesto of urban readjustment for dubai's halted development.

via deconcrete.org