CAIRO - “Using brush & colours lets express the voice of 80 millions of Egyptians". That was the slogan of more than 50 plastic artists who, by making a very long painting of almost 20 metres on a pure patch of land in Al Tahrir Square - the epicentre of the 18-day protests, added a crowd and intensity to the watershed revolution. During the 18-day protests, initiated by Egyptian youth and galvanised by the social networking sites of Facebook and Twitter, all segments of society had, out of honest feelings, joined hands with the ultimate goal of eliminating corruption, and replacing it with a genuine democracy. The nationwide demos, which upended the rule of the long-serving strongman Hosni Mubarak that opened a new chapter in Egypt's history, have been powerful purely for the astounding grit, willpower, solidarity and creativity the pro-democracy protesters showed, impressing the whole world. "Don't lecture me on the British values. I'm interested in the Egyptian values. I'm interested in the Egyptian revolution," said John Rees, a British political activist in a public speech to his people, impressed by the solidarity he saw in Al Tahrir (liberation) Square. But still Egyptians need to show the same courage, determination and unity in the days ahead so that they can build up their nation and prompt progress in all aspects of life. It is the energy of love Egyptians have for their homeland that brought young revolutionaries together, and pushed all segments of society to play a part for supporting them. Plastic artists aslo came out with a way to share the protesters' desire to bring down the repressive regime, yearning for change, and thirst for freedom. On Thursday morning - the 17th day of revolution, about 50 plastic artists gathered in Al Tharir Sqaure among the protesters, who camped out there for 10 days until the ouster of Mubarak. They created a 20-metre painting, which was divided into 80cm for each artist. Each artist expressed his views, impressions and revolutionary feelings featuring long-festering anger againt the regime, launched freedom and call for reform and change. "We painted the revolution during the revolution itself. At real place, during real time, inside the revolution and among the protesters. We both, artists and protesters, had one motive in common and the same strong feelings of overthrowing the dictator and breathing freedom," Yehia Desouki, an engineer and artist, told The Egyptian Gazette. Protestors gathered around the artists while painting ,showing their encouragement and appreciation for them and their creative activity,, and confirming the role of art as an essential means of expression andsupport for the revolution. "Ever-changing people surrounded us each minute. We were happy to see people take the brush from our hands and draw something inside the painting. Despite they drew in unprofessional way, their strokes carry a very strong desire to express and share with us such historical event," Desouki added. "More than 10.000 of people watched our painting along the six hours of drawing. Extraordinary crowd that exceeds the visitors of all art-galleries of all-over Egypt in one full year."
