While searching through the attic, I noticed a lonely family photograph book protruding from a stack of papers, sitting atop a group of busted boxes. Normally, I feel as though if I could just reach into the pages of these books, I could become one with the lost lives they hold; in this particular instance, that was not the case. This photo book, just like the home surrounding it, sat empty. Growing more curious, I knelt before a stack of papers, my mind wandering one thought to the next as I sifted through signatures, notes and discarded doodles. Almost all documents inside this home date back to 1979 or earlier, with many items ranging anywhere from late 1800s to mid 1900s. Easter cards from 1979 rest perfectly preserved aside a living room chair, exactly 36 years since last Sunday, April 5, 2015.
We have reached a strange point in our timeline, where more and more structures have collectively become abandoned over the years, leaving us with a massive collection to sort through. We are faced with a very real representation of “out with the old, in with the new.” As people move from countryside to city, an increasing number of homes will become abandoned, due to their location. These structures will not be here forever, so it is important to document what is being tossed aside, left behind and forgotten. These photographs and writings will provide meaning for future generations, showcasing what once was, and is now no more.