2017-19

ART BASEL ...

In 2019, during his world travels, muralist Kyle Holbrook found himself in Giza, Egypt, doing what most visitors do at first: touring the pyramids, marveling at ancient history, and taking in the sights that millions of people dream of seeing. But as often happens on Holbrook’s journeys, the real story began after the tourist stops ended. Through a chance introduction, he met Mohammed, a local entrepreneur whose family runs four small shops scattered throughout Giza, all open 24 hours a day and powered by an entire extended family working around the clock. By four in the morning the shops are already alive with customers, and by eight in the morning, eight in the evening, or really any hour at all, they are full. Despite running multiple businesses and supporting his family, Mohammed still cannot travel to America or even get an iPhone. Yet what he does have is something Holbrook values deeply: a tight family, strong community roots, and a generous spirit that quickly turned a stranger into a friend.

Within days Holbrook was no longer just a visiting artist but part of Mohammed’s world. He shared meals with the family, including a trip to a famous local seafood spot where fish seemed to appear on the table faster than anyone could finish the last plate. They spent a day on the Nile on a yacht owned by one of Mohammed’s friends, a colorful character who only wore traditional galabeya robes and ran a small yacht company. Holbrook also became friends with “Big Boss” Fish, a fisherman who doubled as a tour guide and storyteller, the kind of larger than life personality you could never invent in a script. These kinds of relationships are exactly what define Holbrook’s work around the world. For him, murals are not just paintings on walls. They are the result of deep connections with people who become lifelong friends.

Eventually the conversation turned to art. Mohammed and the community gathered to decide what walls should be painted. The children were there, neighbors joined, and what started as a casual discussion turned into something that felt like a town hall meeting. The community voted overwhelmingly that one of the murals had to feature Mohamed Salah, Egypt’s beloved soccer superstar. Since it was the middle of the Africa Cup in 2019, Salah’s name was on everyone’s lips. Holbrook spoke with the man who ran a nearby soccer field that was funded and supported by Salah, and the excitement around the project grew quickly.

Then came the moment that nearly derailed everything. As the crowd grew, people kept asking Holbrook the same question again and again. “You know Mohamed Salah, right?” Thirty voices seemed to ask at once. Put on the spot, Holbrook honestly admitted he wasn’t sure. The reaction was immediate. People looked stunned, even offended, as if he had just admitted he’d never heard of the sun. The room fell into a tense silence that threatened the new friendships he had just formed. Holbrook quickly tried to explain. “Let me ask you something,” he said. “Has anyone here ever heard of LeBron James?” The crowd looked at each other blankly and shook their heads. Holbrook laughed and said, “Exactly. In America people would never believe that. That’s how big Mohamed Salah is for you.” Suddenly everyone understood, the tension broke, and the whole group burst into laughter.

From there the collaboration moved forward beautifully. The community brought photos and ideas, and Holbrook worked with them to design a series of murals on the neighborhood walls. One mural showed Mohamed Salah playing soccer with children. Another was a large portrait of the star himself. A third mural featured a peace symbol, tying the project into Holbrook’s global peace mural tour that spans countries across the world. And for the youth of the neighborhood, Holbrook painted a mural celebrating the Africa Cup with Egypt imagined as the champion, capturing the excitement that filled the streets that summer.

By the time the paint dried, Holbrook had gained far more than a series of murals. He had gained friendships with Mohammed, his children, his extended family, and a community that welcomed him as one of their own. The meetings, the laughter, the meals, the Nile boat ride, the debates over soccer heroes, and the collective pride in the murals became memories that Holbrook says will stay with him for the rest of his life. Giza, with its ancient pyramids and vibrant modern streets, holds a permanent place in his heart not just for the art on the walls, but for the people who helped create it.