Guillem Vidal Photographs The Forgotten Playgrounds Invaded By Nature

His eerie and observant imagery depicts the place where man-made structures and landscapes intersect. “The series shows play areas for children or adults, ranging from ephemeral children’s cabins to organized spaces built with durable materials,” Vidal explains to IGNANT. “These spaces, once alive but now forgotten, are today invaded by nature in their slow transformation into ruins.” The overarching result is mysterious photographs of empty urban landscapes, but the points of interest lies in the details. Although this natural process of evolution is beautiful, there is something particularly melancholic about the neglected water slide exiting into a mossy pool, the see-saw overgrown with weeds, and the deserted basketball ring backdropped by picturesque snow-capped mountains. Finding new ways of seeing has always been an important element in Vidal’s creative process. “These photographs are a look at a past microcosm; a time that is reminiscent of childhood,” Vidal continues. “At that time, play, creativity, and environment were possible. Today and in these works, only a trace remains”.