I’ve recently come across some of my old urbex photo albums, which I’ve started posting in the “Abandoned Exploration” section of my blog. Abandoned exploration has fascinated me long before I had my driver’s license, and it’s something I’d love to revisit in the near future. I guess what makes it such a compelling passion and hobby for me is the whole serendipity of being in the presence of such an immense force as time. I’ve never had much success with meditation, but some of my most tranquil, in-the-here-and-now experiences have been among ancient relics – engulfed by the surrounding environment. Hard to really describe or explain such a serene feeling with word (or even images). Urbex culture, in a broader sense, is something that I appreciate because I wouldn’t have been drawn to certain places were it not for their underground notoriety. I don’t much care for infamous locations being rampant with graffiti or exploited for paranormal fantasies, but I cannot deny the mystique of simultaneously witnessing the vacancy and the presence of humanity.
Whereas some of the structures and sites featured here have simply fallen naturally after years of decay, many others have fallen victim to demolition crews, vandals/arsonists, and in some cases even corporate greed. They had their run, and I was lucky to get there to document these places before overexposure attracted the attention of too many people to sustain their former state of preserved deterioration. Fortunately, there are still many places that remain virtually lost and forgotten by humankind: I’ve encountered my fair share of such well-protected secrets by simply following my gut and venturing forth into the wilderness, from the dense rainforests of Latin America to my current neck of the woods in temperate Pennsylvania – not far from home, but often overlooked or shielded by natural barriers from all but the more curious and intrepid explorers. Likewise, I’ve decided to use some level of discretion in revealing the whereabouts of some of these more regional haunts, as they seem to thrive as natural recolonization deems them fit for ecological succession.
Anyway, I’ve tried to arrange these photo albums in an order that makes sense both chronologically and categorically, but I still have a bunch of folders to sort through – and since the photos are quite dated, it may take a while to get together the batches that turned out halfway-decent. It would be a copout to use the platitude that the pictures don’t do any justice at all, but hopefully you’ll enjoy this for what it is 🙂
Existential Pace 