Several old electric cabinets that were damaged by illicit paintings and banners on the streets of Hanoi have been decorated with new colors in preparation for the New Year celebration.

The electric cabinets on Trang Thi Street, Trang Tien Street, and Hang Khay Street in Hoan Kiem District look more beautiful these days, a stark contrast with their usual dirty appearance, with the vivid and colorful drawings of various patterns.

These drawings are part of the project “Sac Mau Ha Noi,” literally translated as “Colors of Hanoi,” operated by the art club Hanoi Art Space.

Le Lan Nhi, the leader of the project, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that she got the idea for the campaign from her love for the ancient capital city, as Nhi is also a Hanoi native herself.

“I can’t bear sitting there doing nothing while many things here look filthy and sleazy, as I love this place,” Nhi said.

“So I asked myself why I wouldn’t make it cleaner and more beautiful.”  

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

With that in mind, Nhi has gathered more than ten members, who share with her the love for decoration, especially for street art, to realize her idea.

The Hanoi-based art club was granted the approval for painting the electric cabinets by the Hanoi People’s Committee, particularly Hoan Kiem District, in the beginning of 2018.

They also received consultancy from the city’s planning department and construction department for appropriate decoration for each type of electric cabinet.

The colored electric cabinet is marked with the logo of Hanoi Art Space. Photo: Tuoi Tre

“The electric cabinet-decorating is not going to be implemented all over the city because that will be very boring, but only on a few streets,” Nhi elaborated.

She believed that the beautifully colored electric cabinets can stop people from illicitly drawing on them.

Currently, the electric cabinet-painting is rushed for completion before New Year comes.

After that, the project will go on with the decoration of trash cans, manhole covers, restrooms and fences.

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is covered in illicit drawings. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A Hanoi Art Space member paints an electric cabinet on Trang Thi Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Two foreigners look at an electric cabinet colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is covered by distorted bill posters. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A Hanoi Art Space member paints an electric cabinet on Trang Thi Street. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

A local resident looks at an electric cabinet colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

An electric cabinet is colored in floral patterns. Photo: Tuoi Tre

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