I moved to Houston three years ago, and was immediately intrigued by the abandoned architecture, empty lots and vastness of Houston’s East End. Like many photographers I am attracted to the implications and aesthetics of abandoned spaces. Houston is unique in its mass of buildings and structures left to the elements. Low real estate costs and no shortage of land have created whole neighborhoods left alone to decay.
Initially it was the buildings of the East End that attracted me to that neighborhood, their monolithic stature and seeming indestructibility. But at a closer inspection, what may seem indestructible begins to show signs of abandonment and wear. The integration of man-made structures with the slow tenuous forces of nature is evident. A silo can become slowly entangled in ivy or a broken telephone pole can be flooded in a flash summer rain. Time, entropy and memory are themes which I continue to return to in my work.
These photos are taken using Polaroid Positive/Negative Black and White Film, a large format film that has been discontinued since 2008. It is a fragile medium that has a tendency to react to changes in temperature, humidity and other environmental factors. Like the structures I photograph, if uncared for, the film will continue to decompose and change. This combination of instability and susceptibility reinforces the duality of these crumbling landscapes.