‘ECCENTRIC PEOPLE’

“Those artists, in the eyes of the community, they’re eccentric people who have come here to do something unusual. But when they work here in the street, there’s a constant delivery of tea and homemade cakes because they work (outside), they involve children and they try to contribute in any way they can,” Dobrowolska said.

One visiting British artist asked children to create clay objects they would like to take on a long journey. She displayed their snakes, crocodiles and cats alongside her own work.

Some families have lived in the necropolis, away from the bustle in Egypt’s ancient capital of 20 million, for three or more generations. Residents include traditional artisans, whose work is sold in Cairo’s Khan al-Khalili tourist market.

“(This art) is something new, and it’s important for the children’s development. Some of them accept it and some don’t and just want to mess around, but none of them destroy it,” said Mohamed El-Assal, a local shop owner.

Assal worked with a Dutch artist on a mural featuring stencils of the children’s silhouettes.

Some residents said they hoped the art would lure tourists, visitors. Tourism, a crucial source of income for Egypt, has struggled to rebound since the 2011 uprising ousted autocrat Hosni Mubarak, ushering in years of instability.

“They (the artists) came and offered to do this and said it would be good for tourism. They cleaned up the area and made it more beautiful,” said Sameh, who owns a kiosk bearing a mural of Frankie the mouse. “I think that’s a good thing.” —