Nationality Egyptian Occupation Street Artist | Name Hend Kheera | |
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Hend Kheera (Arabic: هند خيرة) (born 1981) is an Egyptian street artist whose work features a mix of stencils and slogans. She is one of the leaders of Egypt's street-art boom since the 2011 uprising, and played a significant role in the protests by documenting the essence of the revolution.
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Biography
Hend Kheera first rose to prominence as an artist after the 2011 uprising in Egypt. While studying at university, she worked as a fashion designer. She now works as a structural engineer, but continues to use graffiti as an outlet for her creative side.
Hend Kheera painted stencils around Tahrir square during sit-ins in 2011. She also launched a graffiti campaign against sexual harassment in Cairo and her work features prominent issues facing women in Egyptian society today.
Work
Hend Kheera's work can be seen on the walls of the Mogamma, Egypt's administrative building in Tahrir Square and other streets throughout Cairo. Her work portrays her personal struggle as a woman and pushes the boundaries of what is socially acceptable in Egyptian society. Through her art, she has participated in anti-sexual harassment campaigns, and one of her most well-known pieces is based on the trial of Samira Ibrahim, who took the government to court in August last year as a result of her strip-search by a military doctor after she and several other women were detained at a protest in Tahrir Square, then videotaped while the doctor violated them. Kheera's work is a provocative stenciled outline of a woman, crossed out in red, with the caption, "Don't touch. Castration awaits."
Another of her most well-known pieces features Jesus about to get run over, standing with his back turned to a rampaging tank while holding up a blank sign in protest. This piece was featured in the Townhouse Gallery exhibition titled "This is not Graffiti."
Her main influences are derived from books and films, rather than other artists. She has used certain characters from literature and cinema in her work including Hend Rostom, the famous Egyptian actress who was known as the 'Marilyn Monroe of Egypt' and Ahmed Zaki, an Egyptian actor who starred in the 1980s classic movie 'The Escape'.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Hend Kheera stated that her street art has never caused her trouble with the authorities. However, some of her artwork has been covered up or removed by authorities and she has been criticized by some members of the public who find her work too offensive.
Exhibitions
Sept. 2011 This is Not Graffiti, collective exhibition - Townhouse Gallery, Egypt