Urban exploring/Urbex/or UE: The exploration of man-made structures, usually abandoned ruins, or not usually seen components of the man-made environment. For a while we’ve been following the exploits of a lady over in the USA who goes by the Instagram handle @AlienElina aka Elina Sheedy. Her image composition and location finding is something pretty magical and certainly a real eye catcher. It’s an honour to feature her pick of images on Take 5 and hope you enjoy and are inspired.
In her own words:
Although I’ve had a life long interest in photography, I began documenting and shooting abandoned structures around the US in 2011. From the moment I entered my first abandoned and hospital, I was immediately hooked and compelled to find and photograph places that have been forgotten by the rest of the world.
These locations have a morbid past and an air of mystery, and photographing them allows me to share a vision of the past which most people will never experience. Although there is certainly a risk involved in visiting these places, the reward of seeing and documenting these forgotten relics is well worth it.
Amusement Park, KS (Above)
This is an abandoned amusement park in Kansas, established in 1949, it was once the largest theme park in central Kansas. Due to financial constraints and a series of fatalities, it closed in 2006 and has fallen victim to looters and graffiti artists.
Car Forest, NV
An art installation in the middle of the Nevada Desert, created in 2011 by artists Chad Sorg and Mark Rippie. A one-of-a kind open air art exhibit, there are over 40 unique cars, some forcefully driven into the ground, and some balanced on top of each other.
Girls School, NY
Built in 1890, this was a girls school in an affluent upstate NY suburb, attended by generations of young women from prominent American families. With the growing popularity of co-education in the 1970's, it went bankrupt in 1977 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Hospital, MA
The Insane asylum in Massachusetts was established in 1884, and is the first homeopathic hospital in New England. There, pioneering African-American psychiatrist Solomon Carter Fuller performed his groundbreaking research on the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Added to National Register of Historic Places in 1994, and closed its doors in 2010.
Hospital, NY
This State Hospital for the Insane was established in 1927, at a time when mental health patients were segregated from society. It boasted a power plant, bowling alley, farm and shops - once named the "Best Planned State Hospital" in history. As more and more patients crammed the hospital, resulting in many murders and later to negligence and abuse. It began closing in 1999 and has since been demolished.
To check out more of Elina’s work head over here to view a social documentation of the places that get forgotten about.
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Words: Matt Strutt, Elina Sheedy
Images: Elina Sheedy
Contributors: Aaron Darveniza
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