Earlier this week, images and video circulating online showed that the iconic graffiti wall along Moganshan Lu in Shanghai's M50 Art District was being torn down.
Nooooo! Image via Weibo
But Shanghai art lovers and Instagrammers can breathe a sigh of relief, because parts of the wall appear to remain intact — for now.
When we visited the wall on Tuesday, May 29, we found a large section towards the east end near the corner of Xi Suzhou Lu was still standing. In fact, areas on either side of the developing 'Hanging Gardens' of Suzhou Creek have survived the teardown.
A small chunk of the wall on Changhua Lu near the west end of Moganshan Lu also still stands. But it likely won't be there for much longer, with Wenhui Daily reporting that the entire wall will soon "become history."
Unfortunately, a substantial area of the wall often appearing in photos has already been completely torn to the ground, leaving little trace of the quirky street art that was once there. In its place stands a bright orange plastic construction fence that isn't quite as aesthetically pleasing as its predecessor.
Here's a video showing what that section of the wall looked like just a few days before the demolition (VPN off):
Video via Giovanni Carruba
Along with serving as the perfect backdrop for enthusiastic Instagrammers to pose in front of, the M50 graffiti wall has been a popular destination for tourists and locals alike for over a decade. Even so, rumors of the wall's demise have been swirling since 2011. Fans of the wall began fearing the worst in December of 2013, when a small section was removed to build an entrance into the undeveloped area surrounding the wall. Construction on that once empty strip of land, now occupied by the soon-to-be open 'Hanging Gardens' (AKA the ‘Tian An Sunshine Peninsula’), began in 2014.
READ MORE: Photos of Shanghai's Amazing 'Hanging Gardens' Under Construction
Also dubbed the '1,000 Trees Project,' the new structure will resemble the ancient Gardens of Babylon, often pointed to as a symbol of prosperity and innovation. When the Heatherwick Studio-designed property opens in late 2019, it will combine residences, offices and a boutique hotel, all occupying a space of around 300,000 square meters.
A rendering of the '1,000 Trees Project,' via Heatherwick Studios
But luckily, the neighborhood's graffiti won't totally disappear. According to Wenhui Daily, the Thousand Tree project designers will build a new wall along Moganshan Lu and invite artists to repaint it. Graffiti art will also be integrated into the property's interior design.
Across the street, M50 Art Space will also soon be undergoing renovations, Wenhui Daily reports. Details at the moment are vague, but the revamp aims to emphasize M50's "historical and cultural values" while making a nod to its industrial heritage. In the works are plans to upgrade M50's "outdated infrastructure," and design is said to be in the demo stages.
Putuo district authorities have also proposed building up the entire neighborhood into an eco-friendly tourist destination, though no timeline for the extensive urban redevelopment plan has been announced. Among some projects in the works are a revamp of the surrounding landscape and a new six kilometer-long walking trail along Suzhou Creek.
A reimagined Suzhou Creek, via Wenhui Daily
READ MORE: Shanghai's Historic Suzhou Creek Area is Getting a Huge Makeover
In the meantime, it's unknown when exactly the remaining sections of the M50 graffiti wall will be taken down to make way for the new property, so we'd recommend snapping those street art photos while you still can!
Graffiti Wall images by Amy Burlamacchi
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