Cold Hands (2024) is a pair of two photographs (seen above and below each other in the publication) that are thematically about abandonment, neglect, and desolation in a place that may have a spiritual presence to them. The atmosphere in this haunted house creates a feeling of uneasiness, intensifying the feeling of a presence within this place even more and creating the unsettling character that abandoned places often have. The first image (the one above within the publication) has an open doorway in which its frame has become weathered and cracked. There are scattered papers on the ground that could suggest that the place had been abandoned in haste.
The interior of this place has mist surrounding within the image creating an feel of dread. This mist gives as though a hint that there is no physical life yet there could in fact be something more spiritual or metaphysical within this realm. The high contrast between the lights and the shadows of the place and the greenish black colour intensifies this feeling of the unknown. The doorway, itself, seems to go nowhere which suggests that it could be a doorway to the spirits in which contact can be made with them inviting the viewer in to interact.
The image below, in the publication, has patterned curtains that seem aged. The fabric is damaged with mould blotches on it, yet despite this, they are not ripped or moving- suggesting that they are frozen in this place. Interestingly, these curtains and the lighting above them help create a feeling that something has been concealed away from us- perhaps once we open these curtains, it should be revealed. Or perhaps it is something we cannot see physically and can only connect spiritually. The lack of human activity within this space also strengthens the fact that it is avoided and not entirely abandoned, as it feels lived in by something else we cannot see.
Upon our first glance at Blair Street Vaults (2024), it instantly invites us in, though the invitation feels much more sinister due to the haunting green lighting. The green lighting, as used in the previous two works we have interpreted, makes us feel that we are on a ghost hunt- that we are searching for supernatural elements within this space. The Blair Street Vaults used to be known for its crime, poverty, and potential supernatural haunting, which created a spiritual element in the city. These elements have been captured very impressively in Lynn’s photograph as the light seemingly (despite having what looks to be a wire or post) comes out of nowhere, intensifying the supernatural within the work.
The scene appears very damp and cold, which creates a place where moisture (often a sign of water damage and decay) can appear to take hold. The doorways are dark and dimly lit by the occasional light (as seen in the right part of the image), which prods the viewer to imagine what may lie ahead and whether they should investigate it.