Raise Your Hand if You're Sick and Tired of RUIN PORN

[HV-Rob]

Most of the people who have visited Detroit to photograph ruins likely have photographed ruins in their hometowns, and have traveled to other cities as well. It's not like most people are only taking photos of ruins only in Detroit, be as it may seem. 7-8 years ago, urbexers were converging en masse on Massachusetts and touring the numerous abandoned state hospitals [[many of which have been torn down just the last few years). New York's abandoned Borscht belt hotels were pretty popular for a while. Philly has a ton of industrial ruins. People are traveling to see all these sites. Detroit just seems to be the flavor of the month, perhaps more prominently so than other towns/regions may have been, due to the sheer number of sites located so close to each other.

[SaintMe]

I didn't read a single comment on this thread. I'm responding only to the thread title.

"Ruin Porn" is what sparked my interest in the city of Detroit and is also what led me to this website. I find it fascinating.

I'm actually just tired of the phrase "Ruin Porn"

[MSUguy]

I didn't read a single comment on this thread. I'm responding only to the thread title.

"Ruin Porn" is what sparked my interest in the city of Detroit and is also what led me to this website. I find it fascinating.

I'm actually just tired of the phrase "Ruin Porn"

The Fab Ruins is by no means ruins porn there story, history and context with the photos. Ruins porn those like the recent photos books that take pics of abandoned homes in Brush Park while ignoring the rehabs. Photos of MCS without the context of it hovering over the reviving Corktown and Mexicantown neighborhoods to me is ruin porn. The photos are merely their for people to gawk over like in dirty magazines.

[kahnman]

Yeah, I don't like the term "Ruin Porn" either! I think MSUguy is onto something - he calls it "Ruins Porn".

I'll see that bid and raise it.

From now on, I am referring to anything abandoned that has a picture taken of it as "Ruins Porns" - as in "All Your Ruins Porns are belong to us"...

Actually, if anyone wants to see a very well done documentary on architectural decay and the ambient history left behind, check out "Echoes of Forgotten Places" produced in 2005. It thoughtfully places the historical context behind some beautiful filming:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...=ATVPDKIKX0DER

[RaumVogel]

Be glad it's so popular. It may be one of the only hopes left to get the D out of her rut. You need to start complaining when they are no longer interested. By then they may have moved on to all the other big cities in America that have fallen into ruin because we didn't learn to manage in a global economy.

[Rockin' Best]

You sparked me to go into St. Louis' north side on Google Maps. I saw empty land where buildings once stood, and a number of vacant buildings. From the look of things, I guess that St. Louis had the money to take down structures that were tumbledown and burned out - the number of them is much smaller than what one finds perusing Detroit, Highland Park, etc. Regardless, it's still sad to see any city with so much decay and abandonment.

[hermousefriday]

I do agree that more "positive" photography needs to be made about Detroit. But I do think, in some strange way it does get people to appreciate Detroit's history/architecture more. Some of that "junk" can be really beautiful. I'm surprised people aren't intrigued by our European visitors. They COULD be anywhere else in the world, but they're here in absolute awe of what we have. I'd take it as a compliment, they mean well. We need all the visitors we can get.

[JenniferL]

The Fab Ruins is by no means ruins porn there story, history and context with the photos. Ruins porn those like the recent photos books that take pics of abandoned homes in Brush Park while ignoring the rehabs. Photos of MCS without the context of it hovering over the reviving Corktown and Mexicantown neighborhoods to me is ruin porn. The photos are merely their for people to gawk over like in dirty magazines.

A photo of a naked person can be either art or pornography, depending on how it's done, who does it, and what is their intention. The same goes for photos of ruins. If the photographer is attempting to show beauty in the ruins, or to stir the viewer into some sort of social consciousness, then it's art. But if the photographer's sole aim is to shock, then it's ruin porn.

[kelseystatic]

Interesting thread. I'm an out-of-stater. Never been to Detroit. But I read a story about it in TIME and now I'm planning on coming. Yes, it was the ruin-porn that attracted my attention at first. I was like, "Something needs to be DONE!" And of course, something does need to be done. But my attention has been held longer for some reason. Maybe it's because there are truly beautiful areas of Detroit. Maybe because there is a legion of people [[like the ones on this forum and now, including myself) who want to crusade to save it, and, even more, just debunk the myths.
I do think ruin porn can have it's benefits, such as directing people to the plight of Detroit, which I didn't understand the severity of before. But yeah, it's gonna a bit old.
As a journalism student who hungrily devours newspapers and magazines, I have gotten pretty pissed off about the one-sided coverage. The depressing youtube videos, google photos, all that stuff. I'm looking for an internship right now, and when I do come to Detroit, you can bet your ass I'll take some pictures. Not so I can send it back home and be like "Look at all this SHIT!" But so I can make it beautiful? I don't know, there's something oddly artistic about a silent old house, with grass growing around it. Animals returning. It just feels symbolic of the cycle of life. Okay I'm sounding kind of weird, but do you know what I mean? I wish more of these photographers could look at it like that. Instead of taking photos meant to look like a horror movie, take a picture with the aim of capturing good architecture, or natural beauty, and that will come through in the photo.
Anyway, I'm rambling.
But I hate ruin porn and I love Detroit and I can't wait to come and tell everybody back home about all the good things going on.

[Lt. Dan Bassett]

@kelsey -- If you have not already, pick up a copy of Feb., 2011 Juxtapoz magazine for the "Jux in Detroit" 26-page photo spread. It barely scratches the surface of what is going on here in Temporary Autonomous Zones. TAZ -- look it up!

[kelseystatic]

Sweet, will do! Thanks for the tip!

[Planner3357]

@ Kelsey. Glad you want to come to our city, but I think you have to actually come here and live before you can make statements like you "love Detroit".

Having a long distance relationship rarely ever works because as soon as you make the next step to move to that far away location, you realize you made a mistake.

You really have no idea what you're getting into. Best of luck though.

[kelseystatic]

You're right, sorry if I'm being overly enthusiastic. I guess I love what I know about Detroit and what I've seen, and I hope it goes well when I make the trip over there.

[johnkuhnphoto]

A photo of a naked person can be either art or pornography, depending on how it's done, who does it, and what is their intention. The same goes for photos of ruins. If the photographer is attempting to show beauty in the ruins, or to stir the viewer into some sort of social consciousness, then it's art. But if the photographer's sole aim is to shock, then it's ruin porn.

its actually not what the artist intends to do at all.

because after he or she clicks that shutter. its out of his or her hands. people will make their own decision on what they see.

[Planner3357]

You're right, sorry if I'm being overly enthusiastic. I guess I love what I know about Detroit and what I've seen, and I hope it goes well when I make the trip over there.

Sorry if I sounded like an ass. Detroit is an awesome place, and I love living here. Hopefully, you have a good experience.

[DetroitDad]

I don't mind some of the ruin porn out there....


Abandoned Sprawl:

Abandoned condo towers & luxury developments:

Vacant in Philedelphia. This building has been set to go on the auction block.


How many vacant condo projects are there in New York City? Several community organizations have pegged the number at 601 stopped or nearly vacant projects in the largest city in America.


Imagine having a whole building just for yourself. A New Jersey Family purchased a $430,000 condo in a development in Fort Myers Florida. When the market crashed, all the other buyers opted out, leaving them alone in the tower.


A bankrupt luxury hotel in a Pheonix suburb.


Abandoned luxury development in Arizona.


Large portions of the Las Vegas City Center super project will likely be demolished

.

Abandoned Bloomfield Park, a failed multi-use super project in Oakland County, Michigan.

The Burj Tower is largely vacant, 825 of the building's 900 apartments remain vacant.

Abandoned Grand:

Even after viewing all the above, few buildings put things into perspective about our culture, as the Book Building and Tower, in Downtown Detroit. Traveling down Grand River Avenue, the Book Tower is the terminating viewpoint, straight ahead. It screams at you; "there is something incredibly wrong with a society that would abandoned a building like this... abandoned it's past, sacking the beautiful contributions of their fathers".

After Thoughts:

It has been said that the most grandiose monuments to self are usually built before a societies fall. I look at such things as fascinating. How could so much greatness go so wrong?

[Vox]

I do not understand your point. Are you just anti-everything, or just like pretty pictures? Philidelphia, Vegas, NYC, Ft Myers, are all cities. So you are happy Detroit is failing too? I believe you are rooting for a societal colapse. If that is the case, there is no hope for you.

[jerrytimes]

I'm not against ruin porn, I'm against ruin. At least someone, while doing something that I think is a waste of time, can find something interesting about abandoned structures and haven't forgotten the city.

[DetroitDad]

I'm not "for it". I think it's already happened, we just haven't experienced all the after effects yet. I do not revel in the horrors that such a thing brings on anyone, but do think there is something beautiful in the rebirth of something. In the movies, opportunity comes in shiny armor and on a white horse. In real life, it doesn't do that. In real life it can come in the form of a pink slip, a foreclosure, a theft, or even an economic and societal collapse.

Of course, I do also like pretty pictures.... hence the phrase ruin porn.

I do not understand your point. Are you just anti-everything, or just like pretty pictures? Philidelphia, Vegas, NYC, Ft Myers, are all cities. So you are happy Detroit is failing too? I believe you are rooting for a societal colapse. If that is the case, there is no hope for you.

[jerrytimes]

Did you all ever think that there is ruin porn because a lot of people in this country haven't seen such things? Just like real porn, where one girl and 130 guys go and.....whoops! Sorry.

[DetroitDad]

Great societies should leave great ruins behind. Nothing lasts forever, get over it.

This is only tragic for us because we are leaving behind endless tract homes, big box stores, extensive paved motorways, and glass skyscrapers, all of which will not be recognizable after a few short centuries. Although, I'm sure that is an eternity when you consider their design life.

[hermousefriday]

A lot of people photograph these ruins because they are against them being in ruin. Not because they are happy about it. I can't speak for everyone else, but back when I used to "explore" and take photos, I was trying to express that sense of nostalgia. I was shocked that some of the most beautiful buildings I've ever seen were being left to rot. Especially when I looked up up the "back then" photos...whoa! When you think that these movie theatres, ballrooms, and churches used to be loved and enjoyed by our parents, grandparents,etc, it really puts things in a different perspective.

Having said that, not ALL photographers are shallow and aiming to exploit the city. There are some genuine people that using their photos as a way to express their unhappiness with the situation. I'm also glad that Detroitdad posted the photography of the empty suburban homes. This has also been a rising interest among photographers. Why isn't it as popular as the urban photography? Maybe because the cheap cookie cutter houses just aren't as interesting to look at, there's not really much to 'em. I actually think an abandoned middle class suburb is more creepy, to an extent.

Bah! That's my 2 cents.

[RickBeall]

I love ruin porn.

[mauser]

who is the biggest "ruins pornographer" then ?

i vote detroitfunk.com

[RickBeall]

Exploring, walking through abandoned buildings is like having your way with the models in the picture.