102 Artistic Examples of Abandonment

These breathtaking artistic examples of abandonment are full of gritty, hauntingly beautiful details that make it hard to turn away -- despite their omniscient, eerie atmosphere.

Subjects are often removed entirely or pictured in singular compositions to emphasize the feeling of abandonment. Mother Nature causes these buildings to decay and destruct over time, creating a surreal landscape that is truly one-of-a-kind. The more rust and wear of a location, the more eerie the feeling becomes for the observer. Although nothing beats the real thing, digital software allows artists to speed up time to fabricate these haunting images.

These suspenseful, secluded snapshots bring back memories of spine-chilling horror movies and serial killer stories. With apocalyptic paranoia continuing to loom into 2012, these abruptly abandoned artworks add to the sinister conspiracy theories.