Documented Decay: Yves Marchan and Romain Meffre Photograph Detroit's Ruined Cityscape

A little over a year ago Steidl published the English edition of Yves Marchan and Romain Meffre's exquisite photographs documenting Detroit's rundown and derelict structures in "The Ruins of Detroit." In the past few decades, Detroit's economy has suffered more than any other major city in America, and now the landscape is plagued by rampant neglect and buildings left to decay. Still, it's difficult to understand how the city could allow beautiful, historic buildings like Michigan's Grand Central Station (above) or the United Artists Theater (after the jump) to fall apart.

According to Marchan and Meffre,

“Ruins are the visible symbols and landmarks of our societies and their changes, small pieces of history in suspension. The state of ruin is temporary by nature, the volatile result of the end of an era and the fall of empires. This fragility, the time elapsed but even so running fast, lead us to watch them one very last time: being dismayed, or admiring, wondering about the permanence of things. Photography appeared to us as a modest way to keep a little bit of this ephemeral state.”

"The Ruins of Detroit" is currently on exhibition Kuhlhaus in Berlin. Inspired by Marchan and Meffre's work? Check out 3rd Ward's Documentary Photography class.

 -- Perrin Drumm