“Whether we like it or not but there it is… The sad truth,

that everything changes and everything will die and decay one fine day.”

-Ryan Gelpke, Peruvian Days

I am an urban explorer who enjoys visiting abandoned locations and reconnecting with nature. Growing up, my sister and I would often search for abandoned spaces, documenting the destruction of nature and time. I get a thrill from having the opportunity to explore new areas and look at items and personal belongings that have been left behind, imagining the backstory and researching the history of the place. What caused someone to leave their whole life and possessions behind? Is there a darker past the walls are hiding? Often my works document graffiti before it is completely removed or demolished, never to be seen again. Focusing on transient spaces evokes questions that artists frequently attempt to, but are never entirely able to answer- “What can I take forward from this moment into the future?” and “What do I (or we) leave in the past?”