Artists versus Islamists in Egypt's culture war

Battle raises questions about art and the state

By Brian Whitaker

"In a dictatorship," the Sudanese-born intellectual Abdel-Wahab al-Effendi once remarked, "the role of the minister of culture isn't to protect culture, but to stifle culture and to protect the regime".....

"Doing nothing" is definitely not a charge that can be levelled against Alaa Abdel-Aziz, the new (Islamist) culture minister. Since taking office last month he has already dismissed the heads of the General Egyptian Book Organisation, the Fine Arts Sector, the Cairo Opera House, and the National Library and Archives.

Amid fears that Abdel-Aziz is on a mission to "Islamise" Egyptian culture, many of the artistic community – al-muthaqafeen. as they are known –- have mobilised to oppose him. The Guardian reports:

"As the curtain rose for the evening performance at Cairo Opera House, the cast did not assemble for the opening prelude of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida as they had on previous nights. 

"Instead, more than 300 actors, dancers and theatre staff filled the stage, wearing full costume and clutching protest signs. Addressing the audience, conductor Nayer Nagi announced: 'In a stand against a detailed plan to destroy culture and fine arts in Egypt we abstain from performing tonight's opera'."

Since then, protests have continued outside the culture ministry building in Zamalek – some of them in the form or music or dance.
  

New minister Alaa Abdel-Aziz

At a meeting on Sunday, members of the Supreme Council for Culture (SCC) announced that they do not recognise Abdel-Aziz's appointment and regard his decisions as "invalid". There were also calls to make the SCC an independent body. Ahram Online explains......."