From Repression to Art

A nice use of a former symbol of repression in Tunisia.

From the LA Times...

The police station in the Tunis suburb of La Goulette stands deserted at its posh location near the seaside boardwalk, its walls blackened by smoke and fire and windows smashed. Graffitti sprayed on the walls tell ex-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali to go to hell.

For many Tunisians, this place was a symbol of Ben Ali's repressive regime and the old guard -- a place where bad things happened. That's why it was torched during Tunisia's popular uprising against Ben Ali.

The exhibition is put on by a collective of Tunisian artists and photographers called Artocracy in Tunisia who are aiming to bring the voices of the people back to the streets of the country, breathe new life into places like the police station in La Goulette and shed old images of government repression through a photography project called "Inside Out."