With a population of nearly 16 million, Cairo, located on the River Nile and surrounded by desert, is one of Africa's megacities. It is closely connected to cities in the Arabian world, not least due to its geographical location. It is also one of the most densely populated cities in the world. In historical terms, Cairo's multilayered past stretching back over several thousand years allows Afropolis to examine the longue durée of urban development and history. At the same time, the exhibition investigates the images circulating of and in the city, from the orientalising depictions of the 'Islamic' Cairo from the late 19th century to the unconventional and, at times, eccentric studio photography by Van Leo, a member of the Armenian minority in the cosmopolitan Cairo of the 1950s.
Both of these topics are dealt with in the documentary module, together with the histories of the urban peripheries and informal settlements. The rhizome also showcases cultural policy as well as the young graphic design scene and urban art.
Huda Lutfi
http://opinionator.blogs.
Lara Baladi
http://universes-in-universe.
2011/lara_baladi
Hala Elkoussy
http://www.3sat.de/mediathek/
Blog von Ganzeer
http://ganzeer.blogspot.com/