Emerging contemporary Chinese artist Chen Qiulin depicts the unfortunate consequences of China’s rapid urbanization. Born in a small Sichuanese town along the Yangtze River, she has been personally witnessing the tragic impacts of urban demolition and migration on local communities.
In I Am An Angel #3, a little girl in an angel costume stands at the top of a pile of rubble, head turned up looking at the sky through a hole in the ceiling of the dilapidated site, as if hopelessly yearning for salvation. Her delicate, childish costume clashes with the harshness of the reality surrounding her. Through this photograph, Chen is thus bringing attention to the personal struggles of those most profoundly impacted by the country’s urban transformation.