Taipei officials on Friday removed a potted plant installation in Daan Forest Park (大安森林公園) after receiving complaints that the trouser-shaped planters were frightening visitors after dark.
Inspired by a popular installation in Busan, South Korea, the creator used recycled materials to make the planters, the Taipei Parks and Street Lights Office said.
The pairs of pants with flowers sprouting from the waist were installed early this month in different postures among hedges in the park.
Photo courtesy of a member of the public
They quickly gained attention online as people shared photographs of the disembodied trousers and discussed how frightening they are in the dark, with some saying they thought they saw an apparition or even a murder scene.
Others appreciated their creativity and came to think that they were cute — after overcoming the initial fright.
The planters came at no cost to the city, as the materials came from a concluded flower show at the Chiang Kai-shek Shilin Residence in Shilin District (士林), the office said.
However, due to the public response, it decided to remove them, it said.
In related news, officials in Taichung’s Taiping District (太平) have called for the return of a sculpture that was on Thursday found to have gone missing.
To promote the district’s agricultural products, the Taiping District Office more than a year ago commissioned a pair of sculptures to be installed in a riverside park.
Princess Loquat and Prince Longan stood about 1m tall on top of matching benches and cost about NT$100,000 each to create, office Director Hsu Kuei-fang (許貴芳) said.
However, at about 10am on Thursday, park cleaners discovered Princess Loquat missing and reported it to the Guangming Borough (光明) warden.
The screw that had fastened the statue onto a bench was apparently sawed through, Hsu said, adding that only the description plaque remains.
As the statue is public property, the culprit has clearly contravened the law, he said, adding that police were immediately informed of the theft.
Taiping Precinct Pinglin Station chief Chen Chang-cheng (陳嫈正) said that security camera footage from 6pm on Wednesday to the time the statue was discovered missing has not revealed any suspects.
As the office is not sure when the theft took place, Chen said it would continue reviewing footage.
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