TWENTY-FOUR sites across Longhua District have been transformed with about 3,000 square meters of murals welcoming APEC visitors, creating an open-air gallery along routes from the Shenzhen North Railway Station area to Longhua Boulevard and Meiguan Road.

Beside Exit E of Xikeng Metro Station in Fucheng Subdistrict, a 400-square-meter mural, “Smart Rail, Digital Longhua,” depicts a futuristic time tunnel and robots amid digital imagery. Fluorescent paint gives the work a different look after dark.

At the Longhua International Cooperation Center, a roughly 50-square-meter 3D floor painting shows a neon future world emerging through a crack in the ground. The design combines the district’s digital logo with futuristic aircraft. Ten foreign residents from countries including South Africa, the United States, Thailand, India, Indonesia, Russia, Serbia and Romania worked on the mural.

“I have lived in Shenzhen for 19 years and in Longhua for six. This is my second hometown,” said Edward, a South African blogger who took part. “Creating a painting of the city for friends from around the world means a lot.” Serbian participant Sasa Rakovic said the project was a good way to make the neighborhood more attractive.

Other murals highlight local culture and everyday life. A 210-square-meter work opposite a residential community along the Guanlan River depicts dragon boat racing, blooming silk floss trees and high-tech parks.

In Qinghu New Village, a 30-square-meter wall around a utility room has been painted with a traditional Chinese landscape. Historic houses and lakes are woven into the strokes of the characters “Qinghu,” with fluorescent paint making the village scene glow at night.

Businesses and volunteers also joined the project. At Jiulongshan Park, utility poles have been painted to resemble tree hollows and bird nests, ventilation louvers have become basketball display cases, and the sides of stairs have been decorated as soccer fields. In Songhe Community, 15 young residents with painting skills revamped a wall outside Hengzheng Industrial Park with images of young people playing tennis and pets.         (SD News)