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Voices.
Theirs were the inescapable voices of Egyptian possibilities.
He was the voice of Egypt's political future, the military officer who helped overthrow the monarchy, led Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970, nationalized the Suez Canal from British and French interests, and became an icon, however fleetingly, of secular pan-Arab nationalism. At the height of the Cold War, Gamal Abdel Nasser promoted a political philosophy of nonalignment and solidarity among formerly colonized peoples.
The illustrations surrounding Nasser reflect memories of his regime. Transistor radios depict Nasser's favorite method of disseminating propaganda; working women and factories, the rise of Egyptian industry; and "No Photo" signs, warnings of spies. While Nasser himself was subject to the many failings of charismatic, one-man rule, his image and voice nevertheless became an inescapable icon, in Egypt and beyond.
She was perhaps his only true rival on the mid-century radio. "The Voice," not just of Egypt, but of the entire Arab-speaking world, Om Kalsoum was one of the 20th century's most celebrated vocal artists. Her supreme talent, musical virtuosity, and glamour made her a global celebrity, as she interpreted modern and classical Arab verse through improvisation and vocal stylization.
For the artist Chant Avedissian, with an interest in the iconic images of Egyptian history, Nasser's and Kalsoum's pharaonic cultural influences filled his eyes -- and ears. |