TITLE:
Speaking in Silence. Wall Writing and the Urban Memory in Cairo
AUTHORS:
Sadek Saad
KEYWORDS:
Linguistic Landscape, Street Art, Wall Writing, Murals, Placemaking, Urban Memory
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
26,
2026
ABSTRACT: Writing on walls is a worldwide phenomenon. In Cairo, one can find statements such as “no parking”, “A loves R”, “M was Hier” and “For an Immortal Memory”. This article aims to investigate the meaning of wall writing in three different areas in Cairo. The three areas were chosen to explore the impact of historic, sociocultural and economic diversity. The study questions whether street writing contributes to placemaking and storytelling. If one considers that art is an aesthetic, imaginative method of communication, then certain forms of wall writing and colouring fall under it. Writing on a wall in Cairo implies a claim of relevance, importance, and reality. It is a public tool for self-identification, expression, and bridging the financial gap created by wealthy corporations. It depicts stories of silenced groups, their hopes, emotions and cultural diversity.