Young Egyptian Photographer Captures Post-Revolution Graffiti Art
Yasser Alaa, Age 18
Eighteen-year-old Egyptian student and photographer Yasser Alaa has been documenting his country’s revolution from behind the lens of a camera, most recently attending protests that sprang up after the country’s longtime dictator, Hosni Mubarak, stepped down.
Here, he photographs a graffiti wall that appeared after the revolution in his hometown of Alexandria. The faces pictured are of people who died in the often violent protests against Mubarak's regime.
Why this Student Spoke Out
Massive political change has swept through Egypt since January, when protesters rose up against their longtime dictator, Hosni Mubarak.
Graffiti showing images associated with the Egyptian revolution is all over Egypt's major cities. A 'wall of martyrs' depicting people who died in the protests is among the best-known graffiti installations in Alexandria. Yasser says that graffiti is an important art medium to Egyptians because "it's beautiful art that can be used in explaining and showing many different things."
He adds that his people consider those pictured on the wall to be heroes "because they sacrificed themselves for a better Egypt."
Click through the slide show below to view Yasser's photographs of the graffiti wall and read descriptions of those pictured.
Yasser lives in Alexandria, Egypt, where he is a contributing photographer to NewsHour Extra and has been covering events surrounding his country's recent revolution. His work has been featured in and recognized by numerous publications and organizations.
I think we've been witnessing violence for years, whether in reality through the media or through video games, and I don't think that's a first-hand effect.
I think we've been witnessing violence for years, whether in reality through the media or through video games, and I don't think that's a first-hand effect.
