Why Egypt’s Cultural Life Has Often Grown During Times of Crisis

Why Egypt’s Cultural Life Has Often Grown During Times of Crisis

In late January 2011, Cairo sounded different. Chants rolled through Tahrir Square, repeated until their rhythms stuck in our heads. Cardboard signs were written, crossed out, and rewritten as events unfolded. Mobile phones were held high, recording fragments of history as they happened. Along nearby streets, walls filled quickly, names, faces, slogans, and drawings layered over one another, turning public space into a running record of the mome…