Decrypt

Egypt, Dec 2005: Inspecting some ancient tombs on the westbank of the Nile- across from Aswan. They were completely off the tourist trail and not mentioned in any guidebooks. We eventually found a man who had keys to them and he let us in for a look- after a certain amount of “baksheesh” was paid. […]

The Centre

New Zealand, Dec 2011: At the close of the Second World War, this former Air Force base was converted into a “Mental Deficiency Colony” to house children deemed ‘backward’. By the mid 1970’s it had become the largest psychopaedic hospital in the southern hemisphere, with a population exceeding 700. The centre was “deinstitutionalisation” in 2005 […]

Tokaora

Taranaki, NZ, September 2012: Unlike all the other abandoned schools I’ve photographed, this one has a happy ending… Tokaora school- which has been empty for at least a decade- now has new pupils. A nearby school had to move premises, so have given this little country school a new lease of life…

In Vivo

In vivo (Latin for “within the living”) is experimentation using a whole, living organism- as opposed to a partial or dead organism. Animal testing and clinical trials are two forms of in vivo research. It includes “pure” research such as genetics, developmental biology, behavioral studies, as well as applied research such as biomedical research, xenotransplantation, drug […]

Incinerate

Wellington, NZ, yesterday: This former animal testing station lies broken and abandoned after twenty odd years. Theres few clues left as to what experiments went on here- they’ve disappeared like the unfortunate animal test subjects destroyed in the incinerators.

THB

One Way

Whanganui, March 2013: This former Hospital and rest-home for the elderly, has unfortunately taken a one way trip to nowhere… The state of the place has deteriorated dramatically since the last visit in 2012- the next visit I fear will show even more signs of neglect and vandalism…

The Tower

The iconic Hawera water tower has watched over this South Taranaki town for a century now. Standing at 55 meters high, the tower was saved from demolition after years of neglect in the 80s/90s had made it unsafe. Hawera (or “Te Hawera”) literally means ‘the burnt place’, and originates after an incident between two feuding […]

TuTaHi

Whanganui, New Zealand, December 2012: A rural Maori chapel and burial ground near Wanganui…