Renovation initiative 'Project Muralize' targets the revitalization of Vancouver's Chinatown area.
In the heart of Vancouver's Chinatown, a transformative initiative is underway, thanks to Constable Freddy Lau, a VPD officer with a vision. Inspired by his observations during a visit to San Francisco's Chinatown, Lau noticed the abundance of murals, in stark contrast to the scarcity of graffiti.
This observation led to the birth of 'Project Muralize', an initiative aimed at decorating the shutter gates of Chinatown with captivating murals. One of the first four artworks in this project is a mural by artist Laura Kwok, located at 269 East Pender Street. Kwok's mural, featuring peach blossoms, rain, and a koi fish, is a tribute to her maternal grandfather who immigrated to Canada in the 1960s.
Another notable mural is 'Go North' by Carson Ting, adorning Cheung Sing Herbal & Birds Nest Co.'s storefront. Ting's creation portrays a hybrid creature: part East Van's iconic crow and part rabbit, skateboarding up Main Street toward the mountains. The mural includes red Chinese lucky envelopes, three of which reference the store's address and three showing the number eight as a symbol of prosperity.
Smokey D and the late Trey Helten, street artists, have also contributed to Project Muralize. They designed and painted a mural for Tommy Wong's storefront and another with Chinese characters on the gates of a nearby barber shop. Both murals, painted in June 2022, remain unblemished.
Lau's long-term ambition is to decorate all the shutter gates in Chinatown with murals. By the end of the summer, he plans to have at least 10 murals up. Tracy To of Forum Home Appliances is hopeful that the unwritten code of not writing over someone else's work will be upheld.
Lau's knowledge in the revitalization of Chinatown was gained during a trip to San Francisco in 2022, where he accompanied the Vancouver delegation to study the area's restoration. Lau observes that when murals are present, people tend to have mutual respect for public art and do not deface them. Each mural in Lau's initiative will have QR codes allowing people to learn the meaning behind them.
Tommy Wong, an herbal merchant, was so tired of his storefront being defaced that he wrote a message to the taggers challenging them to do better with their lives. It seems that with Project Muralize, the vibrancy and respect for public art in Vancouver's Chinatown is on the rise. The latest addition to the project is a mural at 530 Main Street, a tribute to Lapu Lapu by a Filipino artist, bridging the phoenix wings of two legendary birds from Filipino and Chinese mythology.
As Project Muralize continues to grow, it promises to bring a fresh and colourful energy to Vancouver's Chinatown, fostering a sense of community and respect for public art.
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