1 Image, 1 Minute - Anastacia Kadomtsev

(No title; unknown photographer.)

I think most people can agree that there is something almost transcendent about decrepitude.
To me, there is almost no greater reminder of the inevitability of time than deteriorating buildings.
The image of these ruins, no doubt once a formidable and imposing structure, worn down by nature,
war, or eventual neglect, speaks something to the relationship of humanity, creation, and the world we
inhabit. Yet even in its seemingly deserted condition, what remains of this former edifice has developed
its own serene beauty. The crumbling stonework exhibits colors and textures that were not originally
a part of its design, and forms shapes and silhouettes at the hands of nature. The detail of the
craftsmanship contrasts with the organic fluidity of the trees and clouds against the sky.
Though transformed from their original state and purpose, these ruins remain, and will very likely
remain for a great space of time to come, chronicling years past. To some degree, it puts life into
perspective, to recognize that we exist for just a brief moment, that the span of a lifetime is relatively
insignificant against this enduring monument.