Urban exploring is the art of exploring relics—abandoned factories, sanitariums, theme parks, and other colorful landscapes. These remnants litter the landscape of our country, yet most people know nothing of them. That is where I come in.
As a former member of an Urban Exploration team, I investigated ruins and decaying buildings and probed them for personal intention— the hellish scare, sheer joy of discovery, to capture a photograph, or to simply say to other Urban Explorers, “Yeah. I was there.”
For my TED talk, I plan on exposing the world of Urban Exploration with a few personal encounters and preservations, and enlightening you with the vast visual presence this art form has on the internet. The entire carnival of exploring a ruin revolves around its history and preserving it. Like I said before, many are abandoned and decaying, and in time, they will eventually die or be torn down with the growing expansion of new properties.
So we as Urban Explorers make it a point to capture these places with photography. For those who have the chance to visit, photograph, and then post their findings on the internet, they have now exposed and educated an audience on something they might have never known before.
A motto among explorers: if you go somewhere, bring something back.
For more information on Urban Exploration, check out Weird New Jersey.
Pictured above: The entrance to a satanic temple, The Paulinskill Viaduct
5 comments:
I think this is such a cool idea for a TED Talk. I have never heard of this before you mentioned it last week, and I think the personal experience you have had with the topic will strengthen your presentation overall. Looking forward to hearing about it!
It really is a great idea - and something you have credibility talking about! Will you focus on some of the strange images you have seen? Or will your visual element be more the photographs of places you've gone?
Great idea - very much "off the beaten path." I think the personal aspect that you'll be able to bring to this will be outstanding. Will you use your own photos for the project? I think that would really bolster the singularity of your own interpretation of these spaces.
I agree with Melissa - you need your own photos to help bring out the very personal element to your angle. I am really looking forward to this, Mark! And are there other "things" you could bring in that could even add more depth??
I really like the idea of your TED talk. Every so often, I find myself driving past old buildings and wondering what it would be like to explore. I cant wait to hear your talk.
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