Hi! My name is Yannick Wilrycx. I am a passionate photographer hailing from Belgium. My main work consists out of photographing abandoned buildings and structures of all kinds, exploring sites that most people have forgotten about. My fascination with decay already started in my childhood, but it wasn't until my late adolescence my first real encounter with this enticing, derelict world occurred.
I still remember how some friends and I went to a football game in the city of Liège in 2004. After the game we came across an old, eerie, abandoned clinic in the centre of the city. When finally gaining access to the building I felt completely overwhelmed. Being told the place used to be a psychiatric hospital, I started feeling very uncomfortable while my excitement increased dramatically. That night, the seed for this amazing new passion was sown, and it kept on growing during the years ...
After buying my first DSLR camera, I spent all my spare time visiting these stunning, deserted areas. With a heavy dose of luck, I've explored over 500 sites today, all over Europe. I've seen things that rendered me speechless, left me bewildered, or scared the shit out of me. The harmony between beauty and decay, misery and bliss, is what keeps the passion alive.
If my work tickles your fancy, feel free to leave a message and delve deeper into my world of Forgotten Decay at my Facebook, Flickr and 500px accounts.