Bahia Shehab: A thousand times no

This episode explores the artist's powerful use of the Arabic word "no" as a form of protest against oppression and injustice in Egypt during the 2011 revolution. Against the backdrop of an art exhibition commemorating 100 years of Islamic art in Europe, the artist initially resisted using Arabic script, but later used it to express dissent. More significantly, the artist's project evolved from a book documenting historical instances of "no" in Islamic art to street art in Tahrir Square, where she sprayed messages of resistance onto walls. For instance, she incorporated messages like "No to military rule" and "No to killing men of religion," reflecting the brutal realities of the revolution. The episode culminates in a description of a wall in Cairo that became a canvas for a dynamic interplay between artists and authorities, each layer of paint representing a different perspective on the revolution. The artist's final message, echoing Neruda's words, emphasizes the resilience of the revolutionary spirit: "You can crush the flowers, but you can't delay spring." This episode highlights the potent role of art as a tool for political expression and resistance in times of upheaval.