Wearing the Invisible (Israel, Jerusalem)

In Israel, street balloon vendors are often invisible in official statistics , although they actively participate in the so-called informal urban economy. This activity is based on a direct sales model without a fixed point, carried out without a license in the majority of cases.

In West Jerusalem , particularly in commercial areas such as Jaffa Street , these vendors target tourists, Orthodox families during Jewish holidays, or young people during civil celebrations. The balloons are often imported from China , purchased in bulk in Tel Aviv's wholesale districts, and then resold individually at a markup of up to 300% .

This type of commerce exists in a relative legal vacuum : tolerated but unregulated, it is subject to fluctuating municipal policies. In Jerusalem, the coexistence of ultra-Orthodox, secular, Arab, and tourist sectors creates a fragmented urban topography where vendors must constantly adapt their routes according to traffic flows, Shabbat days, or areas of tension.

Some sellers carry out this activity seasonally, others structurally, due to a lack of access to the traditional job market – particularly marginalized or unrecognized populations.

This photograph was selected by the prestigious international gallery 1X.com, which recognizes works for their aesthetic and documentary value.