Graffiti on dismantled Shanghai Shikumen buildings

A graffito on the wall of a dismantled building in the Shikumen area of Shanghai on Jan 20, 2015. [Photo by Gao Erqiang/asianewsphoto.com]

More than 10 works of graffiti appeared on the ruins of dismantled buildings in the Shikumen area of Shanghai on Jan 20, 2015.

The graffiti created by French street artist Julien Malland and his Chinese counterpart portrays vivid images of local characters.

One of the works depicts a little girl holding a picture of an old house with a red Chinese character "chai", which means dismantle, written on it.

Compared with the paintings displayed at art galleries, the graffiti beautifully combines art and commentary on life, making the current social issue more noticeable.

For the local Shanghaiers, whose families have lived in the city for generations, the graffiti can bring back their childhood memories or strike a responsive chord in their hearts, because the disappearance of Shikumen architecture can create the feeling of nostalgia.