A mural takes shape in Annandale

Mural artist Henley Bounkhong is covering a long-vacant building in Annandale with brightly colored images reflecting Asian culture.

After the building, at 7219 Columbia Pike, is renovated, it will be a food hall, a contractor confirmed.

The mural features a blue lion, which is a good-luck symbol in Vietnam; a red rabbit, also representing good luck; a dragon; the Buddha; and a Japanese maneko neko “beckoning cat,” which is often displayed to welcome people to a business.

There are also various animals, anime characters, and an alien meditating with mushrooms, among other designs.

Related story: Drab building is getting a colorful makeover

The designs above the windows that haven’t been painted yet show the types of food expected to be offered, such as tacos, ramen, dumplings, and sandwiches.

Bounkhong, a Laotian American living in Rockville, is a self-taught artist who started out with ballpoint pen drawings. Since he started painting murals about 10 years ago, he has decorated restaurants and other buildings throughout D.C. and Maryland. View his artworks here.