“On Identity and Fingerprints” is a graffiti project launched by the Swiss Embassy in Cairo. Artists from the land of the Alps, chocolate and watches and the land of the Pyramids and the Nile came together last month to deliver the message that art is a universal language. The six-day project focused on the importance of identity. “Fingerprints are the most individual features of a person,” said Markus Leitner, the Swiss ambassador to Egypt. “This project is about what makes an Egyptian Egyptian and what makes a Swiss Swiss.” Egyptian graffiti artist Mohamed Khaled was at the top of the list of artists participating, along with the Swiss artists known as the Nevercrew team (Pablo Togni and Christian Rebecchi) and street artist Bustart. The project involved painting on the walls of the embassy, which is located in downtown Cairo. “For the last three years the walls of the downtown area have been full of political slogans. We thought that the best way to give a more colourful contribution to downtown was through graffiti focusing on other messages besides politics. That is when the idea came about,” Leitner said. The project was important in that people can see Egyptian art with a Swiss touch and vice-versa. Bustart and Nevercrew were chosen specifically because their works deliver a strong message of identity and freedom of expression and how people can fight for change with art. Mohamed Khaled made his first graffiti piece in 2011, at the start of the Revolution. His work flourished after violent confrontations on Mohamed Mahmoud Street took place, and after his brother was hit by a bullet. “I was very angry at that time, and painting was my refuge,” Khaled said, adding, “Art has the power to change the masses.” “Fingerprints cannot define a person's race, religion or colour. They only define you as a human being,” said 31-year-old Swiss artist Bustart, explaining why he was fascinated by the concept of the project. “I think this is what art should be about — bringing people together despite any cultural differences or differences of borders and religion,” he said. As an artist who started painting graffiti and touring Europe in 1996, Bustart believes street art is a contemporary type of art that will not be around forever. “People will never agree about graffiti, but there is a reaction that never fails to amaze me. Sometimes people paint on my paintings or they leave them for a while, or they just destroy them right away. This is the interesting part about being a street artist,” he said. Bustart added that in Europe street art is usually about nothing of any importance. “I think that street art in Egypt is a lot more vibrant and strong because it was done out of a need and a challenge, not out of boredom,” he said. Asked about his experience of working with Egyptian artist Khaled, Bustart said, “It is amazing the way our thoughts came together. I have never met an Egyptian before, add to that an artist.” For his part, Khaled said, “The exchange of artistic experiences and our different cultures definitely had a strong impact on our work and this was our goal.”
