Abandoned
Abandoned
Exploring the human past
This project was for my final year university portfolio, it was formatted in a hardcover book comprising of over 100 pages with detailed history about each site.
The industrialisation of our planet is the greatest, yet worst achievement of our species. Throughout the history of the earth, animals have learnt to adapt to their surroundings to survive. However, as humans, we have used our intelligence to our advantage - rather than adapting to environments, we terraform and manipulate the land to suit us. ‘Abandoned’ is a continuation of my ‘Shipwrecks’ project. It examines the schools, hotels, and factories that were once social and economic cores of our communities, but are now in the midst of being reclaimed by nature. Underpinning this entire project is the fact that nature always prevails - as much as we try to control the world we live in, we are only guests. After we have driven ourselves to extinction, the planet will slowly swallow our creations whole, and with it our history.
With this photographic investigation I will also take a look at the long and intricate history that surrounds these sites. With some dating all the way back to the late 18th century. Or a modern history, plagued by the recent pandemic, falling victim to the intense economic stress this put on our society. It is not only the history of the buildings that is important, but the times they lived through. Whether that’s the World Wars and the economic depression that followed. Or the post war optimisim that brought about the baby booms of the 60’s, inducing new strains on the economy.
These empty shells will act as a vessel to tell the turbulent history of our nation. All while being reclaimed by nature herself.
