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Life and death on China’s Huai River

Swiss photographer Andreas Seibert travelled along China's Huai River to record how it changes from a stretch of water rising amidst unspoiled nature into a large and poisonous river.

China’s spectacular growth has brought not just prosperity, but also serious damage to the environment. For Seibert, the present state of the Huai River is a clear example of these problems. Several stretches of the river have been so seriously polluted by toxic waste that people are advised not to even touch the water. Pictures taken on his travels present the poor hinterlands which are generally forgotten in discussions on China, and show the people who live on and near the river – in a habitat on the brink of destruction. The photographs are currently on display at the Fotozentrum in Winterthur. The book “The Colours of Growth” was published to accompany the exhibition.

(Images: Andreas Seibert)

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