I have photographed and documented a special type of closed window shutter for several years.
In the old town of Nördlingen, I noticed window shutters on houses that gave the impression that they hadn't been open for a long time. In conversation with the neighbors I found out that these houses were getting so old that it was no longer worth renovating. These buildings are often listed. The high requirements of the authority often make renovation by the owners unaffordable. However, since demolition is not permitted, the houses are often given to decay. The houses rot, become dilapidated and have a patina.

In this phase of decline, the masonry and the shutters acquire a special color with a fascinating range of tonal values. This morbid charm impressed me in my photographs. I deliberately chose the house detail "closed shutter". For me it is the metaphor for "closing your eyes" before you pass away.

At some point the houses become so dilapidated that they become a security risk. Then there is usually nothing standing in the way of a demolition. A special stroke of luck is when there is still a lover who breathes life back into the old walls.

#architecture ,#shutter, #wood #window , #rough