Key facts
- A mural in Cairo depicting Tutankhamun and Nefertiti with dark skin was removed before Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit.
- The artwork was painted by the volunteer youth group Rasmet Basma using AI.
- The Cairo governorate requested the mural be painted over due to public backlash.
- Critics argued the depiction promoted Afrocentric theories about ancient Egyptian origins.
- Former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass called Afrocentric claims about ancient Egyptians 'nonsense'.
Cairo authorities removed a large mural depicting Pharaoh Tutankhamun and Queen Nefertiti with dark skin just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit last month. The 66-meter-long artwork, painted by the volunteer youth group Rasmet Basma in Tahrir Square, was commissioned as part of a beautification effort for the visit.
The mural drew a furious reaction on social media from Egyptians who viewed the depiction as promoting Afrocentric claims about the origins of ancient Egyptians. The artwork was subsequently painted over with fresh paint.
Ahmed Moussa, the 22-year-old founder of Rasmet Basma, stated that the Cairo governorate asked them to paint over their work. The team used the AI program ChatGPT to generate the designs, which volunteers then painted. Moussa acknowledged a mistake in not consulting archaeology and art specialists, explaining that a golden-bronze tone used in the artwork, combined with nighttime lighting, may have made the figures appear dark-skinned.
Afrocentrism is a political movement that asserts ancient Egyptian civilization was of black African origin. Critics, including former antiquities minister Zahi Hawass, dismissed these claims as "nonsense," citing temple carvings that depict Egyptian kings as not dark-skinned. Hawass also criticized the lack of expert oversight for artworks in significant public spaces like Tahrir Square.
Egyptologist Monica Hanna described Afrocentric claims as "pseudoscience," emphasizing the historical ethnic diversity of Egypt, from Nubian communities in the south to Mediterranean populations in the north. AI researcher Walid Mahmoud noted that AI tools like ChatGPT can reflect widely shared online information rather than factual accuracy, potentially shaping perceptions of cultural identity.
Art critic Mostafa Eissa cautioned against over-reliance on AI in art, advocating for a balance between technology and the human element to preserve originality.