Ken Fager aus Wisconsin (USA) ist Urban Explorer. Ihn interessieren neben verfallenen und vergessenen Geb\u00e4uden auch die zugeh\u00f6rigen Geschichten, die jene mit sich bringen. Auf seiner Webseite www.americanurbex.com nimmt der den Betrachter mit auf eine nicht-allt\u00e4gliche Reise in die Vergangenheit, nach dem Motto \u201eExploring America\u2019s Gritty History\u201c. Wie er zum Urban Explorer wurde und was ihn seither antreibt, haben wir ihn gefragt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ken, woher kommt die Faszination gerade f\u00fcr die Fotografie von verfallenen, maroden Geb\u00e4uden und Objekten sowie deren geschichtliche Recherche im Allgemeinen?<\/strong> Auf deiner Webseite zeigst du Objekte im amerikanischen Raum wie Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Indiana sowie Weitere und erkundest die historische, soziale Dimension eines Ortes, findest Spuren, die dort arbeitende Menschen hinterlassen haben. Wie wirken diese Einfl\u00fcsse und Eindr\u00fccke auf dich, wenn du so einen Ort besuchst?<\/strong> Erinnerst du dich noch an dein erstes verfallenes Objekt \u2013 welches war das \u2013 und wie war das Gef\u00fchl, ein solches zu erkunden?<\/strong> The Hassia experience compelled me to explore the abandoned Marburger Brauerei, which I had passed every day on my way to Uni. I figured I had nothing to lose, as I was going back home to Wisconsin the next day. I felt the same rush as the Hassia factory. When I got back to the US, I started to look for more urbex locations around where I lived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fototouren ben\u00f6tigen eine konsequente Vorbereitung. Wie bereitest du dich auf ein Objekt vor, welche Herangehensweisen hast du dabei und wie lange nimmst du dir f\u00fcr die Planung Zeit?<\/strong> Du verbringst bei deinem Projekt \u201eAmerican Urbex\u201c viel Zeit mit der Dokumentation und Aufarbeitung sowie der Publikation der Locations auf deiner Webseite. Wie ist die Resonanz auf deine T\u00e4tigkeiten bei Familie, Freunden und der \u00d6ffentlichkeit im Allgemeinen?<\/strong> Some people get upset that I provide as much detail about each location as I do. To tell the story properly, I must discuss location in terms of its history, setting, physical location and the impact it had on the community. It is impossible for me to tell a compelling story and leave out key facts. With each major article, I try to bring in an intellectual written component to supplement the rich internet media. A majority of people admire what I do, and the feedback is overall positive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wer perfekte Bilder fertigen m\u00f6chte, braucht die n\u00f6tige Fotoausr\u00fcstung. Welche Kamera(s) setzt du auf deinen Fototouren ein und was f\u00fcr ein Equipment wird von dir bevorzugt?<\/strong> Fotografen wie du sehen auf ihren Fototouren zu verfallenen Objekten viel Vandalismus und kriminelle Energie, die den Geb\u00e4uden arg zugerichtet hat. Teilweise sind solche, nicht nachvollziehbaren Entgleisungen der Grund f\u00fcr die Zerst\u00f6rung und das Ende ganzer Objekte. Das Resultat sind komplexe Sicherheitsvorkehrungen der Eigent\u00fcmer und harte Strafen f\u00fcr Fotografen \u2013 gerade in Amerika \u2013 die ohne spezielle Genehmigung diese Objekte betreten. Wie ist deine Meinung zu diesem Thema?<\/strong> Wenn du die M\u00f6glichkeit h\u00e4ttest, zu einer Urbex-Tour deiner Wahl aufzubrechen, gibt es eine Location \u2013 wo auch immer auf der Welt \u2013 die du gerne einmal aufsuchen w\u00fcrdest?<\/strong> Was w\u00fcrdest du Einsteigern, die das Thema \u201eUrban Exploration\u201c f\u00fcr sich entdeckt haben, mit auf den Weg geben? Gibt es eventuell sogar Dinge von denen du abraten w\u00fcrdest?<\/strong> Was gibt es demn\u00e4chst von Ken Fager zu lesen, sehen oder h\u00f6ren, bzw. wie lauten deine Zukunftspl\u00e4ne?<\/strong> Wir danken Ken Fager f\u00fcr dieses Interview. Das Interview f\u00fchrte Andr\u00e9 Winternitz<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ken Fager aus Wisconsin (USA) ist Urban Explorer. Ihn interessieren neben verfallenen und vergessenen Geb\u00e4uden auch die zugeh\u00f6rigen Geschichten, die jene mit sich bringen. Auf seiner Webseite www.americanurbex.com nimmt der … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4202,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4206","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviews"],"yoast_head":"\n
I have to thank Germany for my interest in urbex! In 2007 I studied at Philipps-Uni in Marburg an der Lahn. One day while riding my bicycle around Butzbach I arrived too late at the train station to return home. The next train wouldn\u2019t arrive for 45 minutes, so I had some time to kill. It was then I noticed the abandoned Hassia Landmaschinenfabrik across the tracks. I spent the next four hours wandering around the massive abandoned factory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A majority locations I find are evidence of the slow, agonizing death of the American Dream. For decades the United States has exported democracy and capitalism to countries around the world. Now those countries have improved on those methods and produce better products for less. A closed school means a less educated American public. A closed factory means less American innovation . A closed business means a weaker American economy. I find urbex subject matter to be fascinating because it forces the American public to view the consequences of our way of life. In stereotypical American fashion I love my country to no end, but we need to wake up from the imaginary American Dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hassia Landmaschinenfabrik (see above). Touring the Hassia factory alone sent my adrenaline levels sky high! The sheer size of the factory was at first intimidating. I tried my best to document everything with my insignificant Sony point-and-shoot camera. I immediately posted the photos to Flickr and Facebook, which garnered an immediate response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am a notoriously poor planner! Other than knowing the GPS location, I do very little in terms of preparation. The thrill of discovery motivates me to take risks with what little information I have. Even if I go to a location and it is impossible to photograph, it pushes me to explore other areas I may not have considered. It isn\u2019t uncommon for me to wake up early in the morning and just get into the car to look for an objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My family, friends, and fiance are extremely supportive of what I do. A healthy majority of American Urbex readers are also supportive. In fact, I have been able to fund two urbex trips with donations from generous supporters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My camera is my first DSLR, which is a Canon XSi covered in gaffer\u2019s tape. My preferred lens is the Tamron 10-24mm, because it forces me to get intimately close to the photo subject. For quick shots I use my iPhone 4 and an app called Camera+. There have been situations where the iPhone 4 takes better shots than the XSi! I also bring a 64gb iPad to backup my photos when I\u2019m out exploring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the most common question people ask me. Trespass is indeed illegal. If there is a time and place where the police or property owners feel that I need to be ticketed, then I must pay the piper. So far I have never been ticketed for trespass. Police have stopped me while on property, but I have yet to receive a fine. For me the value of the end product is worth more than the cost of a fine. The photography and history lessons I have learned over the past two years are certainly worth the risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I would like to return to Europe for an urbex trip. When I research the history of American locations they only can go back some 200 years at most. I\u2019d love to do some European locations with histories that span centuries. I am quite jealous that the US does not have a strong passenger railroad network like Europe. It would be great to just set out on the train with a location in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The American Urbex website attracts a lot of newcomers to urbex. They often ask me for very specific location information. It is clear at this point that they haven\u2019t done any research for themselves. All the work that I have done with American Urbex has started with Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
American Urbex started as a college \u201eproof of concept\u201c assignment that turned into an art project. Like all artists, one day I fear that I will have to devote my full energy to something else. What that next passion is, I do not know. I can take satisfaction in knowing that I have accomplished something with American Urbex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n