Egypt's Revolutionary Artists return to their spot in Tahrir

The Revolution Artists Union have been quick to creatively reflect on the current political situation in Tahrir Square

At the unofficial revolutionary art gallery, a selection of drawings and caricatures are plastered outside the glass wall of thenowinfamous Tahrir KFC restaurant.
Drawing up a piece that expresses his feelings about Egypt's current military rulers, Emad El Sharkawy looks up and exclaims, “We need transparency.”
Sharkawy is one of the 21 founding members of the Revolution Artists Union (Rabet Fananeen El Thawra inArabic), a group of professional and amateur artists who decided to contribute to the ongoing peaceful revolution with a beautiful form of expression that goes beyond slogans and speeches: Art.
Backat their home base atTahrirSquare, the Artists Union has once againset up their corner spot where creativity and self expression are encouraged. As the 8 July sit-in began, the revolutionary artists wasted no timeinreclaiming their old corner on the outer edge ofthe square.
Revolutions usually resultinbloodshed and destruction. However, among the remarkable aspects of the January 25 Revolution were the beauty and creativity it inspired.
The idea came about on 28 January, the Day of Anger that ignited the mass protests. The ever-growing group of artists, filmmakers, poets, writers and musicians were quick to display their revolutionary stance through bursts of creation provoked by Hosni Mubarak's 30 year legacy of repressive rule.
The first exhibition lasted from 2 February to 12 February, the joyous day after Mubarak stepped down when festivities filled thesquare. The “KFC gallery” got a positive reaction from the general public. The artists had also started spreading out, sending poets and musicians to performindifferent parts of thesquare. Their audience grew tremendously and more started joining and contributing to the gallery.
The Artists Union serves as a platform for people to discover art as a form of expression. Amateurs who had never expressed themselves artistically before were happy to finally discover such an outlet and jointhe union. People who possessed the creative capacity but not necessarily the artistic ability were welcome to contribute their thoughts. Artists would then bring these ideas to life.
Seeking a continued cultural revolution, the Revolution Artists Union did not stop at the end of the first sit-in. They have been holding exhibitions, conferences and campaigns ever since.
Other successful exhibitions were organized and heldinCairo Atelier, Prince Taz Palace, Giza Cultural Palace and Egypt Center Gallery.
The Revolution Artists Union is also set on spreading cultural awarenessinunexpected places.Inmid-May, the artists organized Egypt's first subway gallery at Sadat Metro Station, exhibiting paintings, photographs and caricatures from the revolution. They also held a workshop at Dar Aytam Sondos for young orphans and children with special needs.
“Our art will shape all that is positive, and eliminate all that is negative,” says the group on their official page. Through workshops, meetings, productions and exhibitions, that is precisely what the revolutionary artists are doing, ensuring a continuous revolution of arts and literature. More great projects are expected as a new political landscape is shapedinEgypt.