March 2, 2008

Art house



I've been driving past this house for weeks now - eager to get into the place... but its location makes it near impossible to get in to without someone seeing you sneak past the posted "No Trespassing" signs on the shed at the entrance of the driveway ...so I decided I'd go early in the morning on a Saturday when the neighbors were sure to still be asleep and I could do my "Tiny little ninja" impression and get inside before anyone noticed...





I made my way past the shed and spotted various things laying about in the yard - a couch and a matress as well as a couple of old broken down cars that were being consumed by black berry bushes (WHAT IS IT with blackberry bushes devouring old abandoned houses/cars/sheds/anything interesting that I might want to take photos of ...anyway??)



After getting up enough nerve to push the door open - I stepped into the kitchen - the sink was missing, but there were alot of dishes smashed up on the floor, more garbage than Id have liked to be stepping in and a lovely "there's something in that icebox that you probably dont want to know about" smell - so I didnt stick around too long in the kitchen and moved to the hall where the bathroom was located.


Quite frankly, I was half expecting alot worse after seeing the state of the kitchen but thankfully there was no "You should probably be wearing a gas mask" smell coming from anywhere in the bathroom and so I snapped a few pictures, a self portrait and took a few minutes looking at the drawings on the wall before I went back further into the house.

I was starting to get a little disappointed - the last house I was in had all of that amazing graffitti covering the walls and ceilings and I was really hoping for some of the same in this one but so far I hadnt seen much except for a pencil drawing on the wall of the bathroom...



I started to get a little excited when I rounded the corner and found what looks to be the main living area of the house. I saw a few drawings and paintings on the wall and snapped a few pictures but was no where near prepared for what I would see when I stepped completely into the room.




This wasnt graffitti - it was a full blown painting. I couldnt believe the detail, the thought put into each portion of the artwork. I actually had to sit down for a few minutes and just sit and look at it all. Someone spent hours and hours creating these murals - I cant believe they are just rotting away now. Where did these people go? Why is no one living here anymore?


I found more penciled in drawings that never got to experience the joy of completion - and realized I had been in the house for alot longer than I had intended (I had no idea I was stepping into an art gallery) - and still had the entire upstairs to explore...


but as I placed my foot onto the first step - it dawned on me that I might very well end up startling some homeless guy awake at 8:30am on a Saturday morning and could end up in a situation that might not end so well...(The house is near a homeless camp) so I decided maybe it wasnt such a good idea to go upstairs without having someone else there with me - but I plan to go back with my new sharper lens and get better detailed shots of the murals. (any one volunteer to be my buddy?? ;) ahem)


You know you want to go inside.... ;)

5 comments:

Tracie said...

Greetings!

I stumbled upon your blog from the urban_decay community on LiveJournal. Until tonight I had no idea that comm even existed.

You write about so many of my own thoughts when I'm wandering in abandoned places. Always I'm intrigued with the stories, the people who must have been there before.

I'm a painter rather than a photographer, though, so I don't get these fantastic images. What I do is pick up discarded or abandoned pieces of junk and then make art out of it.

I too am afflicted with that affinity for all things rusted, ruined and worn. It's really been a pleasure discovering this blog.

AccountDeleted said...

I would join, gladly, seriously.

I am more of a writer and less of a photographer... I'd like to "borrow" (with credits mentioned, of course) a couple of your pics for my posts, can I? please? or should I come early in the morning on a Saturday when the neighbors are sure to still be asleep and I could do my "Tiny little ninja" impression...
Got here through my friend kelly's http://fuelonthefire.blogspot.com/ blog.

Jens Findings said...

:) thank you both for stopping by my little corner of the world :D

Pablo, you can use the photos for your writing - Id love to see what they evoke from your creative mind!

Thanks for saying hello :)

Anonymous said...

That house with the murals was.... hmmm... a little dark maybe???!! Anyways, the pictures were great and very interesting. Guess you taking a family picture would be boring for you now!

Take care,

Teresa

Anonymous said...

That house with the murals was.... hmmm... a little dark maybe???!! Anyways, the pictures were great and very interesting. Guess you taking a family picture would be boring for you now!

Take care,

Teresa