81 Bowery Street and the complexities of immigrants' lives

A few years ago, the mostly Chinese immigrants of 81 Bowery were evicted due to housing code violations (the loft had been just basically subdivided into tiny cubicles).  Following the evictions, many were rehoused throughout New York's 5 boroughs or in homeless shelters.  But then an interesting thing happened; the former residents protested the evictions and eventually they were able to return to the building.  The link below takes you to Annie Ling's 1-year project photographing some of the tenants of 81 Bowery Street.  Together, I think the story says a great deal about the complexities of immigrants' lives, hopes, and desires.

N.Y. / REGION   | July 10, 2011  A Bed and a Key at 81 Bowery  Annie Ling spent a year photographing the Chinese immigrants living in cramped quarters in a tenement on the Bowery.