Chongqing’s Invisibles: A Photographic Series

The series of portraits by photographer Wang Yuanling portrays the inhabitants of Shibati, a poor neighborhood of downtown Chongqing, in their living space. The neighborhood and homes will soon be demolished and replaced by residential blocks for the middle class. Its shape and space will change, and the “invisibles” – the title of the series – will disappear without a trace.

Who are the “invisibles” in these photographs? Seniors, workers in overalls, disabled, marginalized. A young couple as well. Some pink balloons are decorating their room, sign of a recent wedding. They are those who were forced into precariousness, people poorly housed in the city, the poor, the unwanted.No particular feeling is apparent; the eyes are dull, empty of anger. The invisibles will disappear with their neighborhood and will be moved to another area, before a new development plan comes along to force them to migrate once again.