Demolition for the Opening of the rue des Ecoles (Demolitions pour le percement de la rue des Ecoles) 

Maxime Lalanne created this etching, “Demolition for the Opening of the rue des Ecoles,” during a period of immense urban transformation in Paris. It invites us to reflect on the costs of modernization. The demolition sites were the underside of Parisian progress, displacing communities. In this context, Lalanne directs our gaze to those marginalized by rapid change. Notice how the buildings are being torn down, becoming the detritus of progress. Even in its built form, it is clear that this is a poor part of the city. Laundry hangs from windows, evidence of lives lived in close quarters. The workers here seem to be struggling to clear away the rubble of homes and lives. It is worth pondering how rapid urban development impacts people differently depending on their socioeconomic status, and how so-called progress can often mask underlying social inequalities.