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Americana Forgotten: Photographer documents the abandoned American Dream

When you hear the word “Americana”, what kind of scenery does your imagination draw up? For many, it’s typical imagery of the once-revered American Dream – you know, shiny cars, white picket fences, smoke-filled diners and ice cream parlours blaring Chuck Berry from the jukebox speakers. Fast-forward some decades of technological advancements later, and America seems to have largely tossed much of that dream aside, along with any notion that these would somehow, some day hold importance to many.

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Pink 1950s saloon car parked on grass beside a derelict wooden barn under stormy skies

In his captivating series Americana Forgotten, Cleveland-based photographer Johnny Joo has spent the past 10 years documenting much of these discarded relics. Visiting forgotten and abandoned places all across the United States, his work may provide nostalgia to many, having lived through that time, and wistfulness to others, wishing to have been born in that era. But to some – both young and old – these artefacts are nothing more than a heap of rusting junk; a “worn out and boring” history.

Speaking of his work, Johnny said: "I think it's important that we not only look at the world around us, but that we truly see it. Too many will open a book just to flip through, not only literally but figuratively. We need to take some time to stop and read before it's all gone – our history disappearing right before our eyes."

If you love these eery photographs, you can follow the latest contributions to Americana Forgotten via Johnny's blog at architecturalafterlife.com. Or support his Kickstarter campaign to transform the series into a book.

Via Creative Boom submission | All images courtesy of Johnny Joo

Abandoned vintage trailers painted pink and turquoise sit amongst bare trees and dry grass in a desolate lot
A solitary figure stands on an overgrown path lined with bare trees and dilapidated brick buildings in an abandoned woodland setting
Abandoned orange railway carriage overgrown with vegetation beneath a dramatic cloudy sky, surrounded by dense trees and undergrowth
Abandoned roadside garage with weathered storefronts, vintage cars and rusting metal structures under a clear blue sky
Abandoned roadside motel with weathered sign reading "No Vacancy" and "Weekly Rates" against a twilight sky with snow on the ground
Dilapidated interior of an abandoned building with peeling walls, broken wooden beams, deteriorating stairs and snow-covered debris
Dilapidated Victorian mansion with peeling white paint and dark roof surrounded by bare trees and fallen leaves in winter
Abandoned 1930s diner with white walls and red-trimmed curved roof under stormy skies, featuring "50 & Diner" signage and boarded windows
Hundreds of vintage metal signs stacked tightly together on a dark surface, their weathered surfaces displaying faded text and imagery from bygone American businesses and attractions
Close-up of aged piano keys in warm, golden light showing worn ivory and dark wood keys on an abandoned instrument
Rusted, abandoned truck with open door in dry grassland beneath starlit night sky
Abandoned railway carriages overgrown with vegetation and surrounded by dense green forest canopy
Abandoned interior room with deteriorated wooden walls, broken furniture and shuttered windows letting in strips of daylight
Weathered vintage neon sign with red arrow pointing right, reading "ENTRANCE", against a dramatic cloudy sky at dusk
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