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Forgotten Places I – Urban Decay in China

Last Updated on 2023/02/12

Abandoned factories are about to be demolished within the city limits in China.

Chinese character 拆(chai) is painted on the buildings about to be demolished.

Matteo Damiani’s photographic project offers a poignant glimpse into the rapid transformation of China’s urban landscape. Through his lens, we witness the imminent demolition of abandoned factories within the city limits, which bear the striking Chinese character “chai,” symbolizing their impending dismantlement.

These abandoned factories, once symbols of China’s industrial might, now stand as abandoned monuments to a bygone era, on the verge of being torn down to make way for new developments. Damiani’s project captures the sense of urgency and loss that characterizes these moments of transition, as China continues to undergo rapid urbanization and modernization.

By documenting these urban changes, Damiani’s work offers a unique window into the social and cultural shifts taking place in China today. It prompts us to reflect on the consequences of this rapid development, and to question the impact that it has on the lives of ordinary citizens, whose homes and communities are being transformed by these sweeping changes. Ultimately, his project serves as a reminder of the transience of our built environment, and the need to preserve our collective memory in the face of relentless progress.

Related articles: Lost cities, Temporary Ghost Town in China, The ghost town of Chenggong, China Suburbia, Exploring an abandoned brick factory in China

Images of an abandoned factory in Kunming, Yunnan Province, China

09/04/2009 | Pictures by Matteo Damiani

Topic: abandoned places, urban exploration in China

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