Urban decay and abandoned architecture challenges traditional notions of beauty, inviting viewers to find something special in the forgotten and neglected and to admire the way that nature has slowly reclaimed these spaces abandoned by humans. The aesthetics of the imperfections of peeling multi-hued layers of paint, rusted machinery, fractured glass, and weathered concrete all provide rich, tactile textures that modern environments lack.
Urbexing or Urban Exploration is carried out all over the world by those hoping to capture crumbling relics on film before they completely disappear and these spaces, often overlooked or ignored, are transformed into hauntingly beautiful landscapes through the lens of the photographer. Here are two books we selected for No.3
The World of Urban Decay 2 by Martin Martin ten Bouwhuijs
When exploring the remains of forgotten buildings and abandoned lots in Eastern and Western Europe, a sign with “Trespassers will be prosecuted!” is usually what you’ll find outside. Imposing, seemingly lifeless structures—some abandoned for more than 25 years—including churches, mortuaries, factories, hospitals, swimming pools, and more, become reanimated in this series of arresting, sensually provocative images. On many buildings, unaffected by human interference for years, only beautiful, natural decay can be seen: moss growing on mattresses and cars, wallpaper peeling, and complete floors—beds, pianos, and all—having completely collapsed. 176 pp | 156 color images.
Abandoned NYC by Will Ellis
Explore of the interiors of New York City’s most incredible abandoned places through more than 200 vibrant images of derelict hospitals, forts, factories, and more.
Every city has its ghosts. From Manhattan and Brooklyn’s trendiest neighborhoods to the far-flung edges of the outer boroughs, Brooklyn-based writer and photographer Will Ellis captures the lost and lonely corners of the United States’ most populous city.
Step inside the New York you never knew, with 200 eerie images of urban decay, through crumbling institutions, defunct military posts, abandoned factories, railroads, schools, and waterways. Uncover the forgotten history behind New York’s most incredible abandoned spaces, and witness its seldom seen and rapidly disappearing landscape. Explore the ruins of the Harlem Renaissance, sift through the artifacts of massive squatter colonies, and find out how the past is literally washing up on the shores of a Brooklyn beach called Dead Horse Bay.
Will Ellis - "From Manhattan and Brooklyn's trendiest neighborhoods to the far-flung edges of the outer boroughs, I spent three years photographing and researching the lost and lonely corners of the United States' most populous city. Abandoned NYC is packed with 150 color photographs of sixteen of New York's most beautiful and mysterious abandoned spaces, paired with detailed essays on the fascinating history of these forgotten sites."
This book is for anyone who’s ever wondered what’s behind the "No Trespassing" sign.
