The haunting images of destroyed homes have become all too common in our modern world. Whether it’s due to fires, floods, or bombs, these images of devastation fill our social media feeds and sometimes even our daily lives. But amidst this destruction, what does it mean for a photographer to capture abandoned homes as art?
John Divola’s latest exhibition, “The Ghost in the Machine,” opened at the Yancey Richardson Gallery in the midst of wildfires raging through Los Angeles. The show features two distinct bodies of work from Divola’s extensive career. The first, “Vandalism” (1973–75), showcases the artist’s unique approach of spray-painting and photographing the interiors of abandoned homes in Los Angeles. The second, “Blue With Exceptions” (2019–24), captures similarly dilapidated spaces at the abandoned George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. Divola’s photographs transform these decaying structures into artful canvases layered with a sense of haunting beauty. They serve as both photographs and installations, acting as monuments to what remains after the end.
The main room of the gallery is filled with works from “Blue With Exceptions.” These large, vibrant prints are so detailed and high-resolution that they border on the surreal, inviting viewers to take a closer look. The abandoned rooms are captured with such depth that they appear almost flattened to the edge of abstraction. Divola plays with light and color, separating rooms within a photograph with bright hues and turning walls into planes of color. Some images feature collaged elements like paper, spray paint, and AI-generated images of birds, further blurring the lines between reality and artifice. The overall effect is a visual puzzle that challenges viewers to question what they are seeing and where the boundaries of reality lie in a world of advanced technology.
The gallery cleverly juxtaposes this series with “Vandalism,” Divola’s earliest work in this style. While both bodies of work focus on abandoned spaces, the difference in technique is striking. The vintage gelatin silver prints of “Vandalism” are smaller in scale and more obviously arty, with a raw and punk aesthetic that contrasts with the high-tech precision of “Blue With Exceptions.” These earlier works offer a sense of relief from the intensity of the newer pieces, inviting viewers to appreciate the beauty in destruction from a different perspective.
As we ponder the meaning of these photographs in today’s world, it’s clear that their relevance is undeniable. They reveal a slow unfolding of spaces that are both familiar and disorienting, prompting viewers to reconsider the impact of time and decay on the places we inhabit. Whether seen as a memento mori, ruin porn, or a warning, Divola’s work challenges us to confront the beauty in destruction and the hidden stories that lie within abandoned spaces.
“John Divola: The Ghost in the Machine” is on display at the Yancey Richardson Gallery in Chelsea, Manhattan until February 22. This thought-provoking exhibition offers a unique perspective on the intersection of art, photography, and the enduring beauty found in decay.
