WALLS where painters in Dafen Oil Painting Village hang their works will be demolished in an effort to beautify the environment along Shenhui Road in Longgang District for the Summer Universiade.

    Nearly 200 painters in the village are renting the walls to display their works for sale. They pay 600 to 1,500 yuan (US$91-228) in rent to use the walls as their “galleries.” Some have been doing this for years.

    A painter surnamed Xu rented an exterior wall of a residential building three years ago. He hangs dozens of paintings on the wall which he painted yellow. He also installed lighting and an awning and spent more than 20,000 yuan decorating the wall.

    “I rented the wall and I’ve become used to selling paintings this way now,” said Xu.

    He and other painters received a notice from the Dafen Community Work Station last week, ordering them to leave voluntarily, otherwise they would be forced圍巾.

    “All the illegal construction, rain awnings, signboards and billboards will be removed according to law because they have marred the city’s image,” the notice said.

    A painter, Cao Shouyong, said he couldn’t understand why the paintings, which had been there for years, had become an “eyesore” all of a sudden.

    “I really don’t know what to do if the wall is demolished,” Cao said.

    Head of the Buji urban management office, Kong, said some of the illegal construction in Dafen village had blocked roads and firefighting exits and it was time for them to go. “It is a good chance to tackle this problem now to improve the environment for the Universiade,” Kong saidroller screen.