I remember when I was younger my dad would take me into
houses that were under construction just to have a look around
after the workers had left. I was able to see these places as
they were being born and my curiosity was piqued.
Many years later, I found myself passing abandoned buildings
wondering what lay behind the wooden boards and fencing.
Surely there was more to these places than an art deco exterior
and a few faded signs... I started squeezing past the perimeter
to see what lay inside. I was astounded at what I saw - massive
machines sitting in silent vigil, tools left as they were - moments
frozen in time yet subjected to the passage of time. These
worlds, isolated in both space and time and located right in the
midst of our society, never fail to captivate me.
My interest in photographing these locations grew out of a desire
to document what I saw. Seeing the beauty present in these
buildings, I realized that a simple snapshot would not do them
justice. I learned the basics of photography & returned, intending
to capture the hidden beauty of these moments in time, forgotten
by a world that is all too willing to ignore and destroy them.
With my camera I aim to enlighten outsiders to the majesty of
these monuments that I visit. I want to remind people of the
ephemeral nature of existence. I try to offer an authentic and
existential historical experience.
With my background in archaeology, exploring modern ruins in
search of evidence of daily life within the setting of the building
comes almost as second nature. This is what I want to focus on
with my photography; the evidence of the individual within the
factory, hospital, or house. It is these poignant artifacts that
remind us that the buildings that surround us are far from
eyesores, but monuments to those that came before us and
helped build the cities that we now live in.