Photographer Jonk, who travels the world documenting abandoned places, has released his 11th book titled "Urbex Black & White" through Tempus Fugit Editions. The urban explorer has visited more than 1,500 abandoned locations across approximately fifty countries on four continents, capturing the haunting beauty of forgotten spaces.
The new publication marks Jonk's first dedicated collection of black and white photographs featuring abandoned places, despite having previously released four other black and white series covering airports, mannequins in shop windows, deserted playgrounds, and life amid the remnants of the USSR. "There is something special about black-and-white photography—something deeper, more poetic, more sensitive," Jonk explained in a statement accompanying the book's release.
The inspiration for this collection came to Jonk in 2019 during a visit to a foundry in Auvergne, France, where he discovered four Rolodexes that would eventually grace the book's cover. "I thought they were magnificent. As almost always, I didn't touch a thing before pressing the shutter," he recalled. "The wall they were against was perfect. The light coming from the left was perfect too. I didn't have to think twice when it came time to choose the cover of this book."
While Jonk initially favored wide-angle shots in his early work, he has increasingly focused on detailed, intimate photographs of abandoned spaces. "The proportion of tight shots increased as I worked toward this book. Lately, they've even become the majority," he noted. These close-up images capture the subtle details that make abandoned places so compelling: torn curtains billowing in drafts, stopped clocks, dismembered dolls, and overturned chairs.
The photographer emphasizes the unique power of grayscale photography to convey the atmosphere of these forgotten places. "Gray is full of mystery. Far from neutral, it's the color of nuance, of ambiguity," Jonk explained. "It's also the color of contradiction, between the positive associated with white and the negative associated with black. Gray is complex; it's the meeting point of all possibilities." He points out that ancient languages recognized this complexity, with both Greek and Latin having three different words for gray.
All images featured in "Urbex Black & White" are previously unpublished works that showcase what Jonk describes as "a thousand shades of gray." The book captures moments where light transforms dusty billiard balls on pool tables and illuminates majestic pianos that haven't resonated with music in years, demonstrating how black and white photography perfectly complements the melancholic beauty of abandoned spaces.
The book is published in French format, measuring 26.5 cm by 21.6 cm, with ISBN 978-2-9590720-1-7 and priced at 35 euros. More information about the publication and Jonk's other work can be found on his photography website.
