Abandoned

Abandoned

by Kerrilee Barrett

Cover page: Ibrahim Al Mouyali Street, 270m from home

“Photographs are footprints of our minds, mirrors of our lives, reflections from our hearts, frozen memories we can hold in silent stillness in our hands – forever, if we wish.”

(Weiser, 1999, p1) Abandoned is the final project for a degree in photography with IDI in the UK. All of the buildings in the exhibition were within 1.5km of my house, and were found by walking around. I started to be fascinated by these buildings last year when I was shooting a project comparing abandoned buildings with nearby 5-star hotels. I found them intriguing and wondered how it would feel at night to go there. Being around the buildings started to bring back memories of my mother, who passed away in February 2016, as I was about to start my study at IDI. All the images were shot as 10 second exposures, the idea being that during that time, people could walk through but yet not show up, cats could walk through and cars may travel but only traces be seen. This reminds me of my mother, there are traces of her in me that cannot be seen, and the images all contain symbols that represent her. The empty chair – a camping chair, we went camping as young children. This was also easily transportable for photo shoots. A teddy bear that was with her when she passed away (as were family members including me). I am in some of the images too, but only as a trace, a remnant of what was.

Images were taken in Amman, Jordan Weiser, J. (1999). PhotoTherapy techniques. 2nd ed. Vancouver: PhotoTherapy Centre.

Al Imam Malek Street, 950m from home

Amir Ath Thaqafi Street, 500m from home

Amir Ath Thaqafi Street, 500m from home

Sha’aban 9 Street, 850m from home

Al Mutasem Street, 350m from home

Abdulrahman Al-Ashari Street, 900m from home

Abdul Bin Jawish Street, 1.2km from home

Talat Harb Street, 400m from home

Al Imam Malek Street, 900m from home

Abdulrahman Al-Ashari Street, 900m from home

Queen Mesbah Street, 700m from home

Yazid Bin Ali Sufian Street, 1.2km from home

Al Imam Malek Street, 950m from home

Abbas Mahmoud Al Aqad Street, 600m from home

Prince Muhammad Street, 800m from home

Yazid Bin Ali Sufian Street, 1.5km from home

Yazid Bin Ali Sufian Street, 1.4km from home

Al Kulliyah Al Elmeyah Al Islameyah Street, 900m from home

Yazid Bin Ali Sufian Street, 1.3km from home

kerrileeb@gmail.com https://kerrilee.wordpress.com/