Cairo According to: WeirDo

Omar Sherif, aka WeirDo, is a Cairo-based multidisciplinary artist,  painter and the force behind the name EverythingWeirDo. Navigating life in a wheelchair since the age of 11, WeirDo has turned the world around him into paintings and apparel that are defiant of the typical order of things, and, like him, insist on being seen. In his self-portraits, he portrays himself as an orange vampire; in his clothes, he commands you to stop being computerised.

Here, he tells us why Cairo is raw and punk, why the microbus is a moving museum of street typography that’s more Cairo than the pyramids, and reveals the chaotic Molotof mahragan that feels most like the city to him. He also shares a wholesome memory or two.

A place that means Cairo to me:

Galaxy Cinema in El Manial. I remember I was 4 years old watching Spider-Man 2 with my dad, mom, and sister in my first movie in a cinema ever.Complete the following: Cairo is…

Raw and random and punk. Even though people don’t resonate with that, it’s true. We have this raw energy, and even when we don’t have the skills, we have the will to do anything. We make the impossible possible, and that inspired me to do anything and go anywhere I want, even if my physical abilities don’t allow me to.

What's your neighbourhood like?

Zamalek is full of trees, bats and nostalgia. I have a memory in every corner. It’s my favourite neighbourhood.Your go-to food spot?

O’s pasta.Your go-to café or bar?

Granita.

Your go-to date spot?

Honestly, anywhere that’s convenient, chill and cute. It changes every time.

What isn’t a Cairo landmark but should be?

Definitely the back of the microbus. It perfectly represents Cairo to me: the random stickers and phrases, fonts, and phone numbers. That stuff is pure visual culture. It’s like a moving museum of street typography and personality. It’s more Cairo, or what I’m more familiar with, than the pyramids and the Nile.Tell us a song that feels like Cairo.

‎‎خبطه by Molotof.

It perfectly describes everything I said about Cairo. It’s hella chaotic, and electric shaaby/ mahraganat is the heart of Cairo, whether you like it or not. It’s also very nostalgic. I’ve been listening to mahraganat since I was a child.What's a place in Cairo you wish you could revisit for the first time?

Places don’t hold value without the memories that come from them, even if it’s the greatest place on Earth. It’s not the place, it’s the memory… so I would say Chilli’s Bandar Maadi or Fuddruckers Maadi.

All my friends’ birthdays, including mine, and the last day of school were always there. They had the best food ever, unlimited refill drinks and games, and that was like heaven as a kid.