I was at Wuzhou Lu metro station to meet someone and I was a bit early. From the metro station, you can look over an old community downstairs and although it was in a state of disrepair and dereliction, there was still some life there. I walked around the deserted lanes with half tumbled down houses and one walk caught my eye.
There is something very artistic about those stenciled adverts that people spray onto the walls. I particularly like it when they have clearly been painted over by the local authorities thereby leaving a lovely clean white space on the wall. And what’s like lovely empty white space calling out for? Yes, for another advert.
So you get layers of stenciling and over-painting and more stenciling and over-painting. And it reminded me of Robert the Bruce, never giving up. No matter how many times it seemed that you are thwarted, you just get up and try it again until you win.
The following week when I found myself back at Wuzhou Metro station, the whole area had been cleared and not one house remained standing. I guess the government finally had the upper hand. But this photo will remain inspirational for me, a visible reminder of perseverance.
(It is an advert for the illegal manufacture of company stamps)