Photojournalist Sees Abandoned Malls As Art, Rather Than Run Down Spaces
CHICAGO (CBS) -- This is the busiest time of year for shopping malls, but many area malls have become abandoned due to the shift of online shopping.
Though an eyesore to some, one area mall has captured a journalist's eye because it's now a "ghost town."
Photojournalist Seph Lawless is working on an ongoing project called "Autopsy of America" in which he photographs abandoned malls, amusement parks and other places. WBBM's Terry Keshner reports.
One of his subjects is the Lincoln Mall in south suburban Matteson which has been closed for nearly two years.
Lawless tells WBBM "he was real curious" to see what the Lincoln Mall looked like.
"I was a little shocked to see it in its state," Lawless said. "I think it was really beautiful but really surreal and a little creepy, being inside there...but I gotta say it was one of the most beautiful abandoned malls that I have ever photographed."
Lawless said that's largely because Lincoln Mall has been largely spared by vandals, but many other abandoned places have been "trashed" by people.
"Americans are very angry," he said. "They take out a lot their frustration on these abandoned places, it's very disturbing."
Lawless tells WBBM, Americans need to look at abandoned places.
"I think the more people look at it, the better it's going to be," he said. "It's going to raise awareness, it's going to raise constructive dialogue on where our country is headed, what we can do to change it, and how we have changed as a people, how we have changed our shopping habits, how we can change to help the economy get better."