The mural project in Kairouan by graffiti artist eL Seed

One year since the start of the Tunisian ‘Revolution’, the city of Kairouan brought a cultural Revolution. The mural project in Kairouan was mobilized and organized by a group called El Khaldounia, based out of the capital Tunis. The project entailed the painting of a 40m x 7m wall positioned just beyond the turrets of the old Medina in Kairouan. The participants had spontaneously asked to take part in the project taking place in their town.

Local Government and administrative entities, along with various community leaders, along with the Tunisian public, worked cooperatively hand-in-hand to realize this innovative idea. Itself a mini cultural revolution, the art project was the first of its kind in Tunisia, in both scale and style, in its effort to democratize art and cultural events. Rooted within the philosophy of participatory democracy, the mural creation - the logistics, art work, and physical labour – offered an outlet for local residents and provided a window into what could possibly be the future of Tunisia as a cultural and artistic hotspot.

The photos from the event:

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist

The mural project in Kairouan by eL Seed. Image: Courtesy of The Artist