IN-BETWEENESS

Over the course of a month, I walked through the streets of Chinatown in New York City, observing, waiting and photographing elderly Chinese residents. In a city where old age often feels invisible, Chinatown stands out here, seniors are present, visible, and deeply woven into the daily life of the neighborhood.

Many of the people I photographed were not eager to interact. Some turned away, others avoided the camera altogether. But even in silence, their presence spoke volumes. I wasn’t trying to make anyone pose or smile. My goal was to see them truly see them and to reflect their essence through honest, quiet observation.

Each face carries a history of migration, resilience, aging, and adaptation. Some of them might have arrived decades ago, working in restaurants, factories or build small businesses. Others may have come to be with family, to help raise grandchildren, or simply to survive.

This project is not about nostalgia or exoticism. It’s about presence. The elderly in Chinatown live between cultures, between generations, and sometimes, between visibility and erasure. My photographs aim to give space to that in-betweenness and to honor it.