These manhole covers from Japan make Western ones look inexcusably boring
When the banal becomes art.
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The humble manhole cover may feel impossibly banal, but it turns out the Japanese see them as an opportunity for artwork.
Pictures shared by Jonathan Hsy have been shared widely on Twitter, and show that manholes in Japanese cities have customised, unique designs.
“I’ve visited Japan a few times and have been fascinated by these as works of art,” Hsy, an associate professor of English at George Washington University, Washington DC, told the Press Association.
“I find it revealing how these art objects offer insights into local memory, history, and cultural identity.”
Who said manhole covers had to be boring?
