Photographer Susana Vera documented the demolition of a long-standing
gypsy community in Spain over the course of several months. She has created
diptychs that pair images from before and after the demolition, as well as tell
the story of the effect on the communities, showing the demolition of houses and
the displacement of families.
Fifty four families have been living in Puerta de Hierro, on the banks of the
Manzanares River, north of Madrid, for over 50 years. The settlers are
registered with the local government and have access to public services, but
since the summer of 2010 have been subject to evictions under orders from
Madrid’s town planning board, on the grounds that the dwellings are illegal.
Some of the eldest members of the community have been relocated to social rent
flats in the city, but often their children and grandchildren have been denied
the same right, leaving them homeless. The relatives whose houses are still
standing take them in while the debris keeps piling up as more demolitions take
place.
