Juzifang
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Beijing, 2011
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Urban villages used to be independent villages in the neighborhood of cities. The vast pace of development of Chinese cities made them become part of the cities. Although by looks the urban villages seem to be places from other timezones they fall under the jurisdiction of the cities.
Migrant workers who come to the city to find work in construction, restaurants, factories or as taxi driver often find a home in these urban villages. A lot of these villages are inhabited by people originating from the same region. There are a lot of informal settlements in these villages and modern facilities are not always taken care of. Like in early China (as in some remaining hutongs) restrooms and bathrooms are shared within the community.
The urban village Juzifang is being demolished to make room for new developments. Some people are still living amid the ruins and make use of the shared restrooms which are build in the quaint form of castles.
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Exhibitions
8000 Kilometers to Take 10 Steps Backwards, Platform57, The Hague November 2013–February 2014
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Related works
Floating Population (Book)
