Bazhong Raindrops & Spray Paint: A Street Artist's Chaotic Journal

i've been in bazhong for three days and i'm already coated in a fine layer of spray paint mist and regret. the city's got this weird, damp chill that seeps into your bones-like the sky's constantly wringing out a dirty rag. i just checked the weather app: 8.22°c, feels like 6.81, humidity 87%, pressure steady at 1025. basically, it's a soup. a cold, soupy day. my cans are sweating, the walls are weeping, and i'm trying to finish this piece before the rain decides to go full monsoon.

i'll embed a map here for context (though i'm not sure anyone's actually looking for this place).

now, bazhong isn't the kind of place you see on postcards. it's a gritty, sprawling town in northeastern sichuan, sandwiched between misty mountains and a river that looks like it's seen too much. the streets are a mosaic of cracked concrete, noodle stalls, and the occasional flickering neon sign that reads nothing but chinese characters. i'm here because a friend of a friend claimed there's a whole district of empty warehouses perfect for illegal art. turned out the warehouses are guarded by a very awake old man with a stick and six dogs. so, plan b: paint on the walls of the old tea house behind the bus station. the owner, mr. li, told me he doesn't mind as long as i cover the government propaganda that's peeling off. i'm not sure if he's serious, but i'll take it.

the humidity's messing with my paint. i learned the hard way that 87% means your lines blur if you don't work fast. i'm using caps with finer tips, but even then, the paint beads up like condensation. it's like painting on wet glass. i've wasted three cans trying to get a gradient right. each can costs about 30 rmb, which adds up. i'm on a budget, so i'm rationing.

i heard the local authorities are planning a "city beautification" campaign next week. they'll be covering up any unauthorized markings with fresh paint. better finish before then.

speaking of which, the neighborhood gossip is wild. an old woman sitting on a stool outside her shop told me, "if you're looking for real art, check out the back of the hui muslim quarter. there's a guy who does incredible calligraphy with a brush, not spray." i'll have to hunt that down.

also, the food here is… something else. i had a bowl of "jiangyou sichuan noodles" that made my nose run so hard i thought i'd lose a tooth. but in a good way. if you get bored, chengdu's just a six-hour bus ride away, with its tea houses and panda parks, but honestly, bazhong's got enough chaos to keep you occupied.

i snuck this photo while the owner wasn't looking:

that's the alley behind the tea house. note the dripping pipes and the random tile patterns. it's a canvas, really.

i've been trying to connect with the local art scene. there's a tiny gallery near the river run by a guy named wei. he's about sixty, used to paint propaganda posters, now he does abstract ink work. we had tea and he warned me: "the kids these days, they think street art is just tagging. but you, you have skill. don't get caught." he gave me a business card for a supply shop downtown that sells decent Montana Black cans (even though they're probably smuggled). i'll drop by tomorrow.

someone told me that the police sometimes patrol the riverfront at night, especially on tuesdays. they've got a new toy: a camera that can see in the dark. so, maybe stick to daylight hours.

i'm also documenting this whole thing on instagram (shocker). if you want to see the half-finished pieces, follow @bazhong_spray. it's mostly close-ups of wet brick.

now, about the weather: i just stepped outside and realized it's not just drizzling-it's that kind of fine, persistent mist that gets into your hoodie and never leaves. it's eight degrees out, but the wind chill makes it feel like six, and the humidity's at a solid 87%-basically i'm painting in a soup. my hands are numb, but the paint still flows. maybe that's a metaphor or something.

i've linked a few resources that saved my butt while planning this trip:
- the tripadvisor page for bazhong restaurants helped me find that noodle place.
- there's a yelp list of hardware stores where i got my caps (not really, yelp doesn't have bazhong, but a guy can dream). actually, i found a local forum: bazhong expat board where they discuss the best walls.
- for weather updates, i use weather.com but it's not always accurate.

and if you're into street art theory, read this article on the state of graffiti in china. it's a decent overview.

i also took this picture of the river at dusk:

the water's brown, the lights are hazy, and there's a weird smell-like fish and wet cement. i love it.

i'm heading out now to finish that tea house piece before mr. li changes his mind. before i go, here's a final piece of advice: bring a towel. no, seriously, a towel. you'll need it for your gear, your face, everything. and maybe a flask of something strong. the nights are long and cold.

oh, and one more thing: if you're planning to visit, skip the tourist traps. the real bazhong is in its back alleys, where the walls tell stories older than the communist party. and maybe bring a mask-pollution's not great, but the paint fumes are worse.

later.

Bazhong Raindrops & Spray Paint: A Street Artist's Chaotic Journal

You might also be interested in:

About the author: Chloe Weaver

Comments (0)

Join the conversation

Comments (0)

Join the conversation