Flower power ‘shocks’ Hanoi’s sidewalks

By Kieu Duong    December 26, 2018 | 04:39 am PT
Hanoi has commissioned artists to adorn its sidewalk electricity boxes, illustrating them with ‘12 flower seasons’.
Flower power shocks Hanois sidewalks

The decoration is taking place as part of a project called "Colors of Hanoi". Seventy electricity boxes on Trang Thi, Hang Khay, and Trang Tien streets will be painted with different flowers that bloom around the year in Hanoi.

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A city beautification project approved by the People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem District is being carried out by Hanoi Art Space.

Thuc, one of the artists working on the beautification project is about to finish his painting on a box at the junction of Trang Thi and Hang Khay streets. It took him an afternoon to do it.

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"The pictures on the electricity boxes make the streets look livelier. I come from Beaumont, Texas, and the artists there also do street artwork like this, but in different themes," said Daniel (pictured above), an American tourist as he walked past one adorned with sunflowers on Trang Thi Street.

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An artist paints chrysanthemums in front of the police headquarters in Hoan Kiem District.

One project participant said: "Before painting, we had to look into the location to choose the appropriate theme and colors to match the surrounding space. We also have to clean the electricity box’s surface to ensure that the paint sticks."

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This electricity box at 15 Trang Thi Street has been painted with purple and blue flowers.

Nguyen Thu Tra, a resident of Hanoi's Thuong Tin District, said: "I think the paintings are very beautiful. Electricity boxes in Hanoi are often defaced with graffiti and advertisement leaflets. This project makes the city more colorful."

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Manh, an artist, spraying paints to create more highlights for his painting of hibiscus flowers at the intersection of Trang Thi and Quang Trung streets.

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This box is quite large compared to the others, so it took Manh a whole day to complete his painting.

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An artwork near the Viet Duc hospital on Trang Thi Street depicts a common wild flower.

All the electricity boxes on Trang Thi Street have been painted. Work will continue on Hang Khay and Trang Tien streets. Le Lan Nhi, the project leader, said that her team is expected to complete the work on December 30, before the New Year's Eve.

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The paintings on electric boxes at the Trang Thi and Phu Doan intersection blends well with the real trees on the sidewalk.

 
 
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