Report From the River: Chongqing

Being in the middle of my Yangtze River fieldwork, I have returned to Chongqing where this project began earlier this year. Initially, I thought all things worth filming were directly connected to the water, however I've found the terrace and stair neighborhoods sandwiched between the city center and the edge of the river contain an abundance of life and stories worth exploring. This area of hillside high-rises speak to disappearing Chinese lifestyles and the traditions of the riverside community which are facing pressures of economic development. I have spent a few days walking through this community and intend to spend more time photographing this area over the next few weeks. With the number of buildings in this area already marked with the red “拆” symbol for demolition, or already flatened to the ground, it's easy to imagine a not so distant future completely absent of these vibrant traditional Chongqing communities.