TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Officials have removed potted plants wrapped in pants from a Taipei park after a public uproar over what visitors mistook for a crime scene or supernatural occurrence.
On Friday evening (March 26), a member of the Facebook group Street Detailing (路上觀察學院) posted a photo of what appeared to be a pair of legs dressed in dark blue jeans with what should be an upper torso replaced with a pot of flowers. In the caption above the photo, he wrote "Something happened, grandpa!"
Netizens found the strange sculptures frightening:
"I was scared the first time I passed by."
"If I saw this at night I would definitely think it's the scene of a murder."
"I was scared the first time I saw these planters, but the flowers are really beautiful."
"Halloween is still a long way away, these were deployed ahead of schedule."
"If artists were paid to create these, it was a waste of public money!"
"Is this Mayor Ko Wen-je's lower body?"
In response to the public backlash over the odd art, the Taipei City Government Parks and Street Lights Office on Saturday (March 27) announced it had removed jeans planters from Da'an Forest Park. According to the office, the plants in pants were inspired by similar art installations in Busan, South Korea.
Officials stressed the pieces were installed at no cost because they were made from discarded clothing and leftover flowers from the Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence in Shilin District. However, due to complaints from spooked members of the public, the planters were hastily removed from the park on Saturday evening.
(Photo from member of public)
(Photo from member of public)
(Photo from member of public)
(Facebook, Street Detailing photo)
