Portuguese photojournalist Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro has sought to capture the changing face of Macau, the city he has called home for 12 years, through his latest documentary project: “What once was, will be no more…”

Culminating in a book of the same name, Gonçalo spent a little over a year collecting images of the former Portuguese colony – now best known as a Chinese gambling destination – taken from the 1930s to the 1990s.

Almeida RIbeiro
Almeida RIbeiro, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.

Gonçalo took each of the original photographs he collected back to where it was taken and aligned it with the contemporary environment, juxtaposing historical and current scenes within the frame.

“This book and an exhibition represent an encounter between the past and the present,” he said. “Macau has changed a lot in the last 50 years. My intention is also to show these changes from a different narrative, putting old photos in new places.”

Largo do Senado
Largo do Senado, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Ruínas de São Paulo
Ruínas de São Paulo, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Coloane, Macau
Coloane, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Templo de A-Má
Templo de A-Má, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Praia Hac-Sa
Praia Hac-Sa, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Ponte 16
Ponte 16, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Polícia na Almeida Ribeiro_GLP (Copy)
A police officer on Almeida Ribeiro, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Praia do Manduco
Praia do Manduco, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Praia do Manduco 2
Praia do Manduco, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Portas do Cerco
Portas do Cerco, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Tap Seac
Tap Seac, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Antigo Tribunal
Antigo Tribunal, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Skyline
Skyline, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Coloane 01
Coloane, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Ruínas de São Paulo_04
Ruínas de São Paulo, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Almeida RIbeiro_01
Almeida RIbeiro, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Praia Grande_Antigo Tribunal
Antigo Tribunal on Praia Grande, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Igreja da Penh
Igreja da Penh, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Largo do Senado 5
Largo do Senado, Macau. Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.
Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro book
Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro’s book, “What once was, will be no more…” Photo: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro.

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