East Meets East - Vietnam to Old East Village

This mural, painted by Pamela Scharback and Andres Garzon, on the east facing side of Vietnam Restaurant, is another surrealist painting of what seems to be a dream. Perhaps both of the artists’ dreams have been combined through disparate registers of the foreground, middle, and background. The foreground features a thick plantation of Scharback’s signature graffiti inspired flowers. While empty pho bowls appear to jostle within a river of rice noodles (menu items 29 to 32), a wallpaper style pattern – inspired from hops found in craft breweries in the neighbourhood, occupies the background.

Amidst the dreamscape, several mysterious characters or objects hover and comingle with each other. A faceless figure wearing a traditional Vietnamese floral pattern dress rides on a water buffalo beside what appear to be festive night lanterns. A giant butterfly floats on the opposite side. Bookending the mural are two illustrative panels which depict a map representation of Vietnam and various food items which may or may not be related to the restaurant. Disclaimer, looking at this mural may make you both inquisitive and hungry.

Image sourced from the Tourism London website: https://www.londontourism.ca/murals