Mural Cairo 2012 2012

Alaa Awad made this mural in Cairo in 2012 using paint. It shows figures from Egyptian history and mythology. I imagine Awad standing in front of the wall, thinking about time, history, and memory. The mural's earthy palette with ochre, browns, and greens feels like a deliberate choice, echoing the desert landscape and the ancient quality of the stories being told. The figures almost seem to dance across the surface, their forms outlined with expressive strokes that give them a sense of movement. Look at that figure bending over backwards! Awad's work speaks to how artists build upon the past, reinterpreting and remixing it with their contemporary experiences. It reminds me a bit of the way Philip Guston painted. I'm left thinking about how artists are always talking to one another across time and space. Painting is, after all, a conversation.