The victor mural 2017

Editor: Alaa Awad's "The Victor Mural," created in 2017 using acrylic paint, really strikes me. It's painted in this deliberately ancient Egyptian style, but blown up on the side of a building, making it feel simultaneously old and new. What symbols stand out to you in this work? Curator: The entire mural is steeped in symbolic imagery, of course, particularly those drawing on the visual vocabulary of ancient Egypt. The Pharoah in his chariot is the quintessential victorious ruler. It evokes the power, wealth, and divine right historically associated with Pharoahs. But consider also how Awad recycles these visual motifs. Does the context shift their meaning? Editor: You mean because it’s graffiti? Curator: Precisely. Think about its location, its audience, its intent. Awad isn't simply replicating ancient forms; he is engaging with them, renegotiating their symbolic meaning within a contemporary Egyptian, post-revolution context. Look closely, who do you think he portrays through the leader? Editor: Someone powerful...maybe the army? Because of the reference to military victory? Curator: Perhaps, but could the artist also suggest how present day Egyptian rulers are connected to an ancient lineage? Note too, the repetition. Think of the ranks of men marching below. How do you interpret this symbol in this composition? Editor: That image could imply continuity…the people support him throughout time? Or... if they're all identical, is it a statement about conformity? Curator: Precisely! And that's the magic of symbols, isn't it? They are not static; they evolve with each new context, each new interpretation. And so does cultural memory through this piece. Editor: I never thought of symbols as being so active! It's fascinating to see how "ancient" art can speak to modern-day issues. Curator: Absolutely. The visual echoes of the past resonate powerfully in the present, reminding us that history is never truly past. It is constantly being rewritten and reinterpreted.