Featured image:Â Mixing & Stuffing, Joe Strickland, 2018, photograph, 20 x 30 in. / 50.8 x 76.2 cm.
Joe Strickland’s photography captures the essence of decay and the beauty found in the forgotten and abandoned spaces of America.
Joe Strickland is a contemporary photographer known for capturing abandoned and forgotten spaces in America, focusing on themes of decay, history, and the passage of time through meticulously composed photographs.
His works invite viewers to look beyond the obvious dereliction and see the stories these spaces hold. Through meticulous composition, Strickland highlights the textures, patterns, and the silent history that permeates these empty environments. Each photograph serves as a visual poem, articulating themes of abandonment, loss, and the passage of time.
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Southern Bloomers, Joe Strickland, 2019, photograph, 20 x 30 in. / 50.8 x 76.2 cm.
"Southern Bloomers" presents an expansive view of an abandoned warehouse interior, illuminated by the soft glow of artificial lighting. The photograph’s composition emphasizes the repetitive rows of concrete pillars and the exposed ceiling pipes, drawing the eye through the vast emptiness of the space. The warm tones of the light contrast with the cold, dilapidated surroundings, suggesting a haunting presence of what once was. Strickland’s use of light and shadow is instrumental in conveying the depth and history embedded in the walls of this deserted place.
Shelby Street, Joe Strickland, 2017, photograph, 20 x 30 in. / 50.8 x 76.2 cm.
In "Shelby Street," Strickland captures an interior bathed in an eerie greenish hue, a room that looks like it has not been touched in decades. The wide expanse, with its peeling paint and worn-out floorboards, tells the story of abandonment and forgotten memories. The way the light filters through the windows, casting long shadows across the cracked floor, evokes a sense of quiet desolation. Strickland masterfully captures the silent decay of industrial America, evoking a strong sense of nostalgia and melancholia.
S & D Hosiery, Joe Strickland, 2012, photograph, 20 x 30 in. / 50.8 x 76.2 cm.
"S & D Hosiery" focuses on a more confined industrial space, with wooden flooring that shows the scars of time and labor. The photograph’s composition uses the vanishing lines of the ceiling pipes and beams to draw the viewer’s eye deeper into the scene. Strickland’s attention to detail is evident in the texture of the worn-out floor, the discolored walls, and the remnants of past activity, all elements that breathe life into an otherwise forgotten place. The photograph suggests stories of the workers who once inhabited the space, leaving behind only the faintest traces of their presence.
Joe Strickland's photographic work encapsulates the quiet, melancholic beauty of abandoned spaces. Through his lens, we see a reflection of human endeavor, persistence, and eventual decline. His series not only documents these spaces but also provokes contemplation about the passage of time and the impermanence of our creations. Strickland invites viewers to consider the narratives embedded in the architecture of the forgotten, making each image a poignant reminder of what was and what remains.
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American Threads, Joe Strickland, 2019, photograph, 20 x 30 in. / 50.8 x 76.2 cm.
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