Illustrating revolution

Barbara Yelin was born in Munich in 1977. She currently lives and works as an illustrator and comic book artist in Berlin. She was invited to work as artist in residence for five weeks at the Goethe Institute in Cairo. Her comic book diary follows in the footsteps of graphic novelists and journalists such as Art Spiegelman ("Maus"), Joe Sacco ("Safe Area Goražde") and Marjane Satrapi ("Persepolis") - and it's now available online.

Deutsche Welle: How did the idea for a comic book diary come about?

Barbara Yelin: I had been to the Goethe Institute in Cairo three times in the past 18 months, organizing comic book workshops. The Goethe Institute then invited me to stay for a five week period as artist in residence so that I could get a better impression of the city and record my experiences.

Can you remember your first impressions of Cairo?

Well, the first thing that struck me was that it is really big! And there’s an insane amount of traffic! There's a lot of traffic, searing heat, hoards of people and lots of noise. Drivers are constantly honking their horns. There are hardly any traffic regulations, everyone drives through red lights and everyone wants to sell you something. At the same time the people are very friendly. I had that impression throughout my stay. After just one hour in Cairo you are so full of impressions that you need two days just to process them.

There was a lot happening in Egypt during your time there. Which aspects of life there did you choose to concentrate on and why?

I concentrated on how I experienced the place. I realized very quickly that I could never have an overview of the situation there. The situation is so turbulent and complicated. There was so much is going on and it was important for me to accept that I could only offer a personal perspective. I didn’t want to pass judgment - I just wanted to observe. Everyone can read about the political situation in the media, so I concentrated on day-to-day life.

Which scenes were important for you to record?

I tried to record daily life but also how I behaved as a stranger in the city - the things you only notice after a few days like my walking pace. We walk so fast in Berlin. But because of the heat in Cairo, people don't hurry around. Another important experience for me was the feeling of alienation, especially in relation to the perception of women. I lived alone in Cairo. Egyptian women do that very rarely. It was an uncomfortable feeling and hard to understand. Many women wear headscarves and not many are out on the streets after dark. But people are friendly and attentive, unlike what I have experienced in Germany. It really inspired me.

Did you sketch on the streets or do you work from photographs?

I rarely drew scenes direct. I used to spend half the day wandering around the city, gathering inspiration, and the other half drawing. I work from memory and from photographs. But I try to work as much as possible from memory. I don't like dragging a camera about the whole time. Sometimes it creates a distance between me and what is happening around me. Then again there are so many details to remember and a camera is good for that.

How did people react to your photographing them?

Well, I always asked permission first. In Tahrir Square, a lot of people were taking photographs. The atmosphere was really intense. Some demonstrations felt a bit like a fair. There were tourists photographing demonstrators - and demonstrators photographing tourists! It was a really funny situation. I was photographing a group of people who were photographing me at the same time. We all had to laugh.

Were you not afraid?

There was a lot going on and a lot of agreement. The majority are against the emergency military government. I was there in April when the demonstrations in Tahrir Square were calling for Mubarak to be tried in a court of law. I was strongly advised not to go there. I went all the same and the atmosphere was very different. There was a lot of tension in the air. In April, there was much more solidarity concerning the aims of the revolution and where it should go. In the meantime people have split-off into smaller factions. There’s no unified political movement anymore.

What moved you the most during your time in Egypt?

I was moved by the friendliness of people and their attentiveness. But there was a sense of uncertainty and the unrest there really touched me. Nobody knows where things are going. The sense of euphoria after the revolution has been replaced by uncertainty and frustration because not a lot has changed. Censorship still occurs. People are put in prison for writing blogs that are critical of the military regime. When I was there a man was allegedly tortured to death in prison. All these violations - the "Bloody Sunday" in which 20 demonstrators were shot - deeply affected me. They still do.

Nevertheless, you were never afraid…

No, I didn't need to be. As a tourist you can go there anytime. The demonstrations happen in specific parts of the city. The conflict between the Muslim and Coptic communities is always there under the surface. But it's really a distraction from the actual difficulties there. It's a really complicated situation.

How has life changed in Egypt?

What has really changed is that people have said to me, We have begun to think more freely. But the economic situation is not good. The situation for artists is particularly bad. There’s not a lot of work. But the revolution released a lot of energy in people. And a few people told me it had made them realize that they wanted to be an artist. The performance art and comic book scenes have exploded. Their ongoing search for an identity has found new inspiration.

How do you think things will develop in Egypt?

I really can't say. Right now, right before the elections, things are hard to predict. But one person said to me, We’ve started this democracy, so now we have to go all the way.

Author: Helen Whittle
Editor: Zulfikar Abbany