Why this viral shot will not be Egypt's photo of the year
A Danish photographer captured the view from the Giza pyramid with a photo that went viral all around the world — but Egyptians were far from pleased.
CAIRO — Egyptian tourism authorities have spent 2018 trying to boost tourism through different methods, including inviting 10 American bloggers to capture the images of the country’s natural and archaeological treasures and share them with the world. Ironically, the photo and video that has gotten most of the attention at the end of 2018 — with more than 5.6 million views — outraged rather than pleased Cairo.
The images were taken by Danish photographer Andreas Hvid, who chose Egypt’s Great Pyramid of Khufu — commonly known as the Pyramid of Giza — as a venue for his “Nude Arts” album. In this album, Hvid captures "moments when human beings appear in their natural state — naked or having sex — at emblematic landmarks of global civilizations."
After several attempts to escape security — climbing the pyramids is forbidden — the daring Dane and his girlfriend climbed the pyramid late November and posted images of their naked embrace on his Instagram and YouTube accounts.
The Egyptian media described the photo and the video as “pornographic," as the images went viral on line, with many comments from those supporting the act and others criticizing it.
