About a dozen volunteers took paintbrushes on Saturday afternoon to help restore a mural in Vancouver’s Chinatown, which was recently depersonalized.
The mural, entitled Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, is located next to the Liang You bookstore on East Georgia Street and was marked with graffiti in late March.
This is not the first time the mural has been vandalized, say Catherine I and Sean Cao, the artists behind the original work – but it was the worst incident to date.
“It’s disappointing that something like this will happen again and again,” Yi said.
Artists, along with other community advocates, say vandalism is part of a growing problem in the neighborhood, which has seen an increase in crime over the past few years.
In January, the exterior walls of Dr. Sun Yat Sen’s classic Chinese garden were spray-painted while the windows of a nearby Chinese Cultural Center were broken.
The city of Vancouver acknowledged the vandalism in a statement, as well as the “discouraging effect” it had on residents, businesses and visitors.
The city also said the increase in incidents may be linked to the rise of anti-Asian racism in Vancouver.
Folklore has become a mural
The artwork is part of a series of murals in the neighborhood, commissioned through the city’s call for a mural artist in Chinatown in 2019.
It was painted by Yi and Cao – also known as the duo of artists, the Bagua Artist Association – and two other people who helped them complete the mural in two weeks.
The colorful piece is inspired by Chinese folklore about eight immortal creatures using their unique powers to cross the East Sea.
The artists say the tale reflects the diversity of Vancouver’s Chinatown and all the different individuals who make up and contribute to the neighborhood in their own unique ways.
Volunteers on Saturday used reference images of the original mural to repaint it, but Yi and Cao say they are open to new perspectives and interpretations.
“We believe that the participation of people in the community is as important as the work of art itself,” said Kao.
Part of the mural is depicted here before being depersonalized. The work was commissioned by calling the city’s mural artist in Chinatown in 2019 (Rachel Topam / Vancouver)
Volunteer Terry Hunter says it was important to repaint the mural as a way to unite the community.
“When it’s damaged, we all feel hurt, we all feel the pain, and being here today to heal the mural is really important,” he said.
Hunter says he has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years and has noticed an increase in vandalism in recent years.
He hopes the city of Vancouver and the British Columbia government will do more to maintain and protect the neighborhood’s cultural values.
“What we need is a sustained, coordinated effort to change the whole attitude towards this neighborhood and what can and cannot be done here.”
Vancouver City Councilors Sarah Kirby-Jung, Pete Fry and Lisa Dominato also attended the event. They say the city has recently allocated more funds to help clean up graffiti in Chinatown.
In a statement, the city said its Chinatown Transformation Team is working with community members to help revitalize the neighborhood, and that officials will present a preliminary report to the council this spring that will outline recommended actions to combat anti-Asian racism. and discrimination.
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