The Autopsy of Abandoned Nordic
The waiting room of an abandoned mental hospital, Italy.
We (Tanja and Kimmo) have a passion project: Abandoned Nordic. Since 2015, we've been traveling to photograph abandoned places. From the beginning, we decided to approach this project professionally, aiming to develop an urbex brand with all our photos taken at locations we've personally explored. We specifically wanted to showcase our work on Instagram. During Instagram's golden era, we gradually amassed over 120,000 followers. However, these days, our follower count remains virtually stagnant, with new followers offsetting those who unfollow. Instagram, in its current state, no longer suffices for the times we live in. It's somewhat regrettable, but the world is evolving all the time, there is no reason to cry for something that has been.
I have a feeling that Abandoned Nordic has transitioned to its next phase, that's the reason I'm writing this for sure. Time will tell if the change is good.
When we now post a photo on Instagram, we do so out of habit, unfortunately. The truth is, without Instagram, we might not have delved this deep into our passion. Whether that's a good or bad thing depends on one's perspective. We don't want to obsess over algorithmic matters; we either do this on our own terms or not at all. But we wouldn't trade any of the experiences; this journey has been incredible.
We actively search for new locations, which practically means spending a considerable amount of time on our computers. Discovering places is not easy, but we've become more adept at it over the years. We maintain a SQL-based database of our locations, constantly updating it. Our database now contains around 2500 places in Europe, of which we've visited just over a thousand. Needless to say, only a fraction of these thousand places are either picturesque or offer truly thrilling experiences – and both options are enthusiastically welcomed. Over the course of eight years, we've amassed a significant amount of photographic material, meticulously organized into professional folders. When we want to find specific photos of a particular place, they are readily accessible. We could post for a very long time even if we don't go anywhere anymore.
Finland was not an adequate playground for us, neither in terms of the quantity nor the quality of locations. The architecture is modest, and the history doesn't extend too far back. Impressive, old buildings in Finland quickly find new purposes, if it's economically viable, or they are demolished if it's not. If one is interested in small, humble houses and cottages, they are indeed abundant, but after seeing a few, they all seemed quite similar, with the same underlying story. Experiencing the same disheartening feeling is easier done in other ways, like listening Joutsenlaulu (by YÖ) on a loop. Don't get me wrong – I am a HUGE fan of melancholy, but even I have my limits. Of course, we've also explored and photographed in Finland, but it soon lost its appeal, and we set our sights on other parts of Europe. When traveling in a foreign country, everything becomes an adventure, not just urbex.
In practical terms, the Abandoned Nordic project is probably the main reason why we left Finland and currently live in France. The project itself didn't facilitate this life change, particularly in financial terms, but it instilled in us a craving for regular excitement. Living a nomadic life in a country where we don't speak the language, with almost no social network, is thrilling ASF – and I'll delve into this aspect further in the near future, but for now, I'll stay on course.
Perhaps time can be divided into two phases, as has been done in many contexts: the time before COVID-19 and the time after. COVID-19 radically changed my worldview and allowed for more flexible thinking – if both the world and one personally can change so dramatically – essentially overnight – and adapt, then why not voluntarily make quite radical decisions and thrive? After COVID-19, the idea began to take root that we should move away. There is so much in the world to experience and see, and it's not feasible with short trips.
During our time in France, I've undertaken a couple of week-long urbex photography trips with friends. Both times, my friends came from Finland (thanks to Otto, Kata, and Valtteri, I had really great time with you!). Several of the locations were already familiar to me but new to them. Returning to a familiar place means two things: it's easy to plan what kind of photos you want to take when you know the location, but on the other hand, there's often a sense of sadness when you've seen the place in better days, and after your previous visit, it may have been vandalized – in practice, this is most often the case. So, that picture you planned to take of an incredibly beautiful staircase doesn't turn out as impressive as you thought when the walls of the staircase are adorned with poorly drawn swastikas and a Classic - penis artwork. The situation makes you question the entire endeavor's sense.
Urbex trips practically involve capturing photos from sunrise to sunset. We arrive by plane, rent a car, and travel. The mileage can accumulate quickly; on a two-week trip, you might easily drive about 3000 kilometers. Fuel costs add up, as do accommodations and, of course, food, which is consumed irregularly. Schedules are tight because everyone wants to see and experience as much as possible. Most of the time is spent in the car, moving from one place to another, and the people you share this experience with are very important. The best memories may not necessarily be about those incredible locations but about experiencing them with someone who shares your passion. Urbex trips are physically demanding but unforgettable until you've done quite a lot of them – when you're on your 14th trip to Estonia or your seventh in Poland – the memories might start to blur.
Living in France allows for a more convenient way to do urbex; there are always places nearby to visit, even if it's just one place at a time, where you can spend more time taking photos. Lately the disadvantages of longer trips have started to outweigh the benefits, so we will definitely be making fewer of those. Although, just a couple of days ago, we heard that Niko (@kupanik) is coming to France soon for urbex…and that made us really happy - the spark is still there!
