Photographer Andy Yeung continues his look at Hong Kong with a new series of stunning aerial photographs. Flying his drone high over the Kowloon Walled City, Yeung gives us a glimpse at the densely packed geometry of Hong Kong’s high flying apartment blocks.
With Walled City, the photographer explores the largely ungoverned settlement in Kowloon City. Once a Chinese military fort, it was transformed into a housing enclave, with the population exploding after World War II. It then became known for its high crime rates throughout the 1950s and 1970s, with an explosion of drug trafficking, gambling and prostitution. “The Kowloon Walled City was once the densest place on Earth. Hundreds of houses stacked on top of each other enclosed in the center of the structure,” Yeung shares via email. “Many didn’t have access to air or open space. This notorious city was demolished in 1990s. However, if you look hard enough, you will notice that the city is not dead.”
Indeed, Yeung’s images show the concrete jungle that still exists in Kowloon City. The claustrophobic architecture highlights the contradiction between the tightly packed city and personal space. With neighbors piled on top of each other, “where the only view out the window is neighbor’s window,” the concept of privacy becomes highly complex. This line of questioning is precisely what motivated Yeung’s new series. “I hope this series can get people to think about claustrophobic living in Hong Kong from a new perspective.”
Andy Yeung’s new drone photography series, Walled City, looks at the densely populated Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong.
Andy Yeung: Website | Facebook | Instagram | 500px
My Modern Met granted permission to use photos by Andy Yeung.
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