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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Apple Gets Artsy in Chongqing

[Update at end]

Just over a week ago at the Jiefangbei pedestrian shopping area in Chongqing's Yuzhong district, you could see something was curiously hidden.

covered entrance to Jiefangbei Apple Store in Chongqing


When I walked by yesterday, I saw this:

mural by Navid Baraty and YangYang Pan covering entrance to Jiefangbei Apple Store in Chongqing

The cylindrical entrance for the new Apple Store which will open January 31 is now covered with a copy of a mural — the result of a collaboration by photographer Navid Baraty and artist YangYang Pan (潘阳阳). Apple posted a video about the artistic process on its Chinese retail website (HT MacRumors) and someone Apple has posted it on YouTube as well [link updated].

During the brief time I was there, the mural received a bit of attention from passersby.

People photographing mural by Navid Baraty and YangYang Pan covering entrance to Jiefangbei Apple Store in Chongqing


For those in Chongqing who can't until Saturday to visit an Apple Store, there is already an option at the North City Paradise Walk shopping mall in Jiangbei district.

Paradise Walk Apple Store in Chongqing


The store seemed to have a decent crowd yesterday for a Monday afternoon.

Paradise Walk Apple Store in Chongqing seen from above

For those who can wait longer than Saturday, soon Chongqing will have the same number of Apple Stores as Hong Kong. A third store is under construction at the MixC shopping mall in Chongqing's Jiulongpo district. Only Beijing and Shanghai currently have more Apple Stores in China with four each. Single stores can be found in other cities in China — Chengdu, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuxi, and Zhengzhou. The stores in Chongqing are indicative both of Apple's focus in China and the city's own impressive growth.




UPDATE: No need to rush to the Jiefangbei Apple Store if you want to see an art-covered cylinder. I walked by again this afternoon, and the outside art is now gone. Perhaps the lit up Apple logo works better under today's darker skies & wetter weather, and the original artwork will be on display inside when the store opens.

entrance to Jiefangbei Apple Store in Chongqing on a drizzly afternoon

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