The Earl of Cromer

Sculpture for Cromer Artspace

 

The work investigates the conflict between The Earl of Cromer's perception of his legacy as the ‘regenerator’ of modern Egypt  and popular Egyptian political opinion and satire at the time.  It explores the reparative potential of art to confront our colonial history.  

 

Evelyn Baring was born in Cromer and was the colonial administrator of Egypt (1883-1907), during his rule state education, particularly for women was curtailed, economic development stalled, and the country became more reliant on cash crops. He had to stand down in 1907 following the severe punishment inflicted on villagers by British troops under his command. On his return he wrote Modern Egypt extolling his achievements.

 

The sculpture is made from steel, in the shape of Evelyn Baring’s silhouette and hung like a popular English pub sign. One side is inscribed with a translation of a poem (a zajal, a traditional form of oral poetry popular in the Arabic world), written shortly after the 1st Earl of Cromer resigned from his position. On the other side is the inscription, "And the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose," from the 1st Earl of Cromer’s memorial in Westminster Abbey. The Inscription, below, is a translation of part of a ‘zajal’ by Izat Saqr, Diwan ‘Amir Fann al-Zaja around 1907l.   Ref: Fahmy Ziad (2011) Ordinary Egyptians Standford University Press

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Those who were 

       flogged or orphaned

They declare their 

       eternal love for you

Those who were imprisoned 

       or had their houses demolished

Hold you in great favor

Truly all of your good works 

       speak for themselves

       and all are covetous of you