Abandoned/ volume 113

An abandoned house with peeling walls, an empty factory reclaimed by nature, a forgotten photograph tucked inside an old book, a neglected object gathering dust—these places and things often speak more profoundly than those still in active use. They exist between presence and absence, carrying traces of lives once lived, memories once cherished, and histories that continue to echo long after their original purpose has faded. In this special edition, we explore Abandoned as a theme that extends far beyond physical spaces, inviting artists to examine absence, transformation, memory, resilience, and the passage of time.

Abandonment is often understood as an ending, yet in art it frequently marks the beginning of something new. When a place is deserted, nature slowly reclaims it. When an object loses its function, it may acquire symbolic significance. When memories begin to fade, they are often preserved through creative expression. Artists have long been drawn to these moments of transition because they reveal the fragile relationship between permanence and impermanence, reminding us that nothing remains unchanged.

The artists featured in this edition approach the theme from remarkably diverse perspectives. Some turn their attention to neglected urban environments, documenting the beauty found within decay and revealing how time transforms even the most ordinary structures into poetic landscapes. Others investigate emotional abandonment—the quiet experience of loss, isolation, separation, or longing that cannot always be seen but is deeply felt. In many works, abandoned objects become powerful metaphors, carrying traces of those who once held them and inviting viewers to imagine the stories they contain.

Beyond physical environments, abandonment also speaks to contemporary social realities. Migration, displacement, changing industries, technological progress, and shifting communities continually reshape the landscapes we inhabit. Entire neighborhoods evolve, traditional crafts disappear, rural villages empty, and familiar spaces acquire new identities. Artists documenting these transformations preserve not only places but also the emotional and cultural significance attached to them. Their work asks important questions: What do we choose to preserve? What do we leave behind? How do memories survive when physical spaces disappear?

This edition also reflects upon the quieter forms of abandonment that exist within our personal lives. Forgotten dreams, childhood memories, broken relationships, inherited traditions, abandoned ambitions, and moments that quietly recede into the past all become fertile ground for artistic exploration. Many artists transform these deeply personal experiences into universal narratives that resonate across cultures and generations. Through painting, photography, sculpture, installation, drawing, textile art, and mixed media, they reveal that abandonment is rarely empty—it is often filled with memory, emotion, and possibility.

As viewers, we are naturally drawn to abandoned places because they invite imagination. Without their original occupants, these spaces become open narratives waiting to be completed. We instinctively ask who once lived there, what happened, why they left, and what remains unseen. Artists embrace this ambiguity, allowing absence itself to become a powerful visual language. Rather than providing definitive answers, they encourage contemplation, curiosity, and emotional engagement.

As editors, we believe that Abandoned is not a theme rooted in loss alone. It is equally a meditation on endurance, resilience, and transformation. It reminds us that absence can possess extraordinary presence, that silence can carry powerful meaning, and that forgotten places often reveal truths about ourselves and the societies we build. The artists featured in this volume invite us to reconsider the overlooked, finding beauty where others see decay and possibility where others see emptiness.

As you journey through the pages of this special edition, we encourage you to look beyond crumbling walls, empty rooms, or discarded objects. Notice the stories embedded within textures, the memories contained in light and shadow, and the quiet conversations between past and present. These works remind us that nothing is ever entirely abandoned while it continues to be remembered, reimagined, and transformed through art.

Sometimes what has been left behind has the most important story to tell.