# Chaotic Rebellion Representations Julie Mehretu's 'Mogamma' Pits Chaos Against Institutions By Alexander Lam | Published 2013-06-04 | World Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/julie-mehretu References: [itsnicethat](http://www.itsnicethat.com/articles/julie-mehretu-liminal-squared) & [whitecube](http://whitecube.com/exhibitions/julie_mehretu_liminal_squared_bermondsey_2013/) A series of paintings called 'Mogamma, A Painting in Four Parts' by artist Julie Mehretu engages the viewer about themes of chaos interacting with order. The paintings are made with outlines of [public architecture](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/folded-time) covered with [chaotic scribbles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/enigmatic-graffiti). Made during the Arab Spring, Mogamma aims to reflect the upheaval and [political destruction](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lebanese-students-design-in-conflict) inherent during that time. The collection was named after a government building at the center of the Egyptian Turmoil called Al-Mogamma. Each painting reflects the chaos resulting from political power during those tumultuous times. Mehretu used architecture as a backdrop because she believes that "architecture reflects the machinations of politics." Since buildings are "spaces of power," throwing a chaotic overlay on top of building outlines matches the collection's theme perfectly. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 0.4/10 - Popularity: 2% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [World](https://www.trendhunter.com/world) > [Regional](https://www.trendhunter.com/regional) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Chaos in Art:** Exploring chaos as a creative concept in art. - **Political Art:** Creating art that reflects political ideologies and events. - **Architecture-based Art:** Incorporating architectural elements into art and design. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Fine Art:** Fine artists can explore incorporating chaos and political themes into their work. - **Architecture:** Architectural designers can consider incorporating chaos as a creative concept to represent social or political issues. - **Graphic Design:** Graphic designers can explore incorporating architectural elements into their designs, or using chaos as a creative concept. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Apocalypse Post Pandemic Art](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contemporary-urban-art.md) - [Street Art-Inspired Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/met-rooftop.md) - [Indigenous Form Exhibitions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/gabriel-chaile.md) - [Dynamic Artful Car Designs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/bmw-m-hybrid-v8.md) - [Glass Beaded Intricate Artworks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/painting-exhibition.md) - [Artful Activism Shows](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snowflake-exhibition.md) - [Chaos-Insppired Ceramic Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ceramic-installation1.md) - [Unfinished Mall Textile Installation](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/super-limbo.md) - [Digital City-Inspired Art Works](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/grand-central-station.md)