Urban Exploration in the Ragged Kingdom

Life in the Overgrowth

Music by Urban Exploration

Arrangement and Video by Conflux

Manchester Apocalypse

An exhibition of works by artist James Chadderton has gone on display at the Incognito Gallery in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. The images depict a post-apocalyptic vision of the city. Photographs have been shopped to great effect, transforming modern-day Manchester city centre, into an urban wasteland.

Chadderton said he was inspired by “the visuals and themes of post apocalyptic films, books and games. The quality of films like 28 Days Later, The Road, Children of Men and games such as Metro 2033, S.T.A.L.K.E.R and the Fallout series has given me a huge amount of inspiration for creating work”.

Hope I get to see it before it closes on the 4th Jan 2012!

Here are some previews from the beeb. 

Abandoned Pork Pipes

See full gallery

Our good friend and Urban Exploration collaborator, MJS, has been on another hair-raising expedition into Britain’s forgotten spaces. This one is a veritable “meat feast” of photographic wonders and daredevil discoveries for your delectation. Vegans need not apply…

“HISTORY: Pyestock was conceptualised in pre Elizabethan times after the great world wide pork pie famine. The idea was to create and stock pile pork pies in the event of other such catastrophes happening again. Over the years the institution decided to stick with the old English spelling of ‘pye’ as opposed to the modern equivalent ‘pie’, hence the name ‘Pyestock’.

PROCESS:After the swine is delivered to site, it is blown through a series of pipes at speeds not dissimilar to the speed of light in order to tenderise the meat.”

Marwencol

Marwencol is the strange and wonderful story of Mark Hogancamp, a man who, after suffering brain damage resulting from being severely beaten-up by a group of drunken thugs, sets about creating his own very personal brand of therapy. This therapy involves revisiting his childhood passion for Action Man figurines. Mark creates and maintains a miniature, fictional WWII era Belgium town named Marwencol, and documents, in the form of highly accomplished photographs, the on-going narrative of its occupants, modified Barbie and Action Man dolls based on real people in his life. Eventually he and his creations are discovered by a curator, who is so impressed and taken-back by Marwencol that he proposes putting on an exhibition of Mark’s photographs of his town and its curious narrative.

A must see! Highly recommended. Link to full film bottom of post.

Speaks to the addictiveness, the catharsis, the unpredictability, and the eternity of the creative process. – Jeffrey Chen, Window to the Movies

Marwencol is a mesmerizing documentary, and like Mark Hogancamp it continually surprises you. It may also be one of the best films you’ll see all year. – Beth Accomando, KPBS.org

First-time director Jeff Malmberg does almost everything right in this stunningly empathetic documentary. – Jeff Meyers, Metro Times (Detroit, MI)

Marwencol, full film stream.

Mark’s website, marwencol.com

Subterranean Photography

Check out MJS’s photostream on Flickr for some outstanding Urbex photography