Chinese New Year in Usera: Madrid, the Epicentre of Colour and Asian Culture

On February 22, Usera once again became the heart of Madrid’s Chinese New Year celebrations. The main parade brought families, local residents, visitors and photographers together in Pradolongo Park, surrounded by dragons, music, traditional costumes and a crowd that was almost impossible to organise.

I went there looking for scenes within all that movement. Not only the most obvious moments of the parade, but also what was happening around it: glances, gestures, encounters of colour and people who, for a few seconds, seemed to become isolated in the middle of the noise.

Photographing there meant reacting quickly and accepting chaos as part of the image. People constantly moved in and out of the frame, while red appeared as a visual thread running through the clothing, decorations and streets of the neighbourhood.

That afternoon once again showed why Usera is one of the most interesting places for street photography in Madrid. It is a place where different cultures and generations share the same space naturally.

These photographs are my way of remembering what happened that afternoon: a personal view of the colour, the crowds and the energy of Madrid’s Chinese community.