Labour of love: artist transforms rundown Chengdu alleyway with murals for girlfriend to ‘light her way home’

The artist painted the alleyway because it was dark and his girlfriend felt nervous walking through it at night

His project has transformed the area, with many locals saying he has improved the neighbourhood

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The mural of a 30-year-old artist in Chengdu has gone viral in China. Photo: SCMP composite

Published: 9:00am, 27 Apr 2022

An artist who transformed a dark alleyway in southwest China with beautiful mural art to accompany his girlfriend when she walked home went viral in mainland China.

The mural, filled with cartoon characters along the wall of an old alley in Chengdu, is the work of Zhang Hao, a 30-year-old painter.

“I moved here with my girlfriend six months ago, and this alley is the closest way from my house to the subway station, but it is very dark at night; she once told me that she was afraid of passing through there at night,” Zhang told the South China Morning Post.

The old alley is next to a decommissioned factory and, according to Zhang, no street lights have been installed because it is so old.

Zhang thought to himself: “If I paint some cute cartoons on the wall, she will not be afraid to walk through it.”

The paintings were made to help his girlfriend walk home at night. Photo: Sohu

Zhang put his plan into action after this year’s Lunar New Year in February. He applied to the street committee for permission, and the officials liked the idea and quickly approved.