Brooklyn 2012: Fusing ancient Egyptian and Middle Eastern imagery with current street art and mural styles, “A New Ma’at” makes references to the tragic and quickly- changing events of the Arab Spring and the ordinary people caught up in it all. It was created using spray paint, acrylic paint and self-made stencils. The principle of “ma’at” was very important in ancient Egypt, meaning the balance and order in the universe, including truth, morality and justice. This concept was personified by the goddess Ma’at, who is pictured at the top, though she is looking much more uneasy than her traditional pose. The figure on the left with the bird- head is Thoth, her husband, who stands for knowledge and wisdom. According to the ancient Egyptians, he invented writing and the hieroglyphics. The symbols he is drawing include a bird that stands for the people and a snake that signifies power and leadership. The bird was always portrayed below the snake to show that the people were subordinate to the pharaoh, but Thoth is now painting them facing off against each other, referring to the recent uprisings across the Middle East and North Africa. On the right, a Syrian mother and her child are painted over the Syrian anti-regime rebel flag (green, white and black with 3 red stars). The mother is portrayed as Queen Zenobia, a Syrian heroine who fought against the Roman empire (The headband she wears is the one in Herbert Gustave Schmalz’ classic painting of her). The tree in the middle is the olive tree, very ancient and significant in the Middle East. Located at the corner of Myrtle and Central Ave, by the Central Ave M train station.

Brooklyn 2012: detail from “A New Ma’at”

Brooklyn 2012: detail from “A New Ma’at”