Dust, shards of glass, gravel, and grit coat thick vines that spiral down empty stairs. They’re more than concrete and steel—as nature takes over abandoned buildings, they come alive. Through journalistic and experimental photographs, Sam Smith aims to capture the unique architectural character, mood, and mind of Cincinnati’s dilapidated buildings.
Discover the rich history of Queen City’s vacant structures as they rose and fell. Step inside a 150-year-old ornate cathedral, a middle school auditorium, the skyscraper office of Cincinnati’s once largest employer, and a four-story furnace room that was used to manufacture ammunition for World War I. From an amusement park to a chemical research facility turned into a chop shop, disuse has brought brevity to these abandoned structures.
On Monday, September 28, Loveland High School Graduate Sam Smith will release his first book, Abandoned Cincinnati. The 92-page book features 8 dilapidated and forgotten spaces in the Cincinnati area and their histories. In addition, evocative and experimental images aim to capture the hard-to-describe but easy-to-experience mood of the building.
Abandoned Cincinnati will have a “soft release” wherein it will arrive in various bookstores and businesses over the next few weeks.
The book is available in local stores Hobbytown USA and Ohio Book Store Cincinnati. It will be available Beth Booksellers later this week.
In the next few days it will arrive at Barnes and Noble, Costco and Amazon. Through next few weeks and months, the book will become available in more various local bookstores, museums and businesses.
Order Abandoned Cincinnati at Barnes and Noble
Order Abandoned Cincinnati on Amazon
33% of Smith’s proceeds of Abandoned Cincinnati will go to Talbert House. Talbert House is an organization and shelter that houses and assists individuals struggling with addiction, housing and/or mental health.
“Talbert House is an organization close to my heart, and they are doing great work in the community. Abandoned Cincinnati touches on issues of poverty and homelessness. To write a book based on Cincinnati’s history and not give back felt wrong,” Smith explained.
Samuel Wright Smith is a photographer, filmmaker and animator located in Cincinnati and New York City. Smith grew up in Loveland and was surrounded by visual art from a young age, and it quickly became his life.
Decay became a central theme to his work, often touching on ideas of death and rebirth. Some images in Abandoned Cincinnati were taken by Smith as young as age thirteen.
Garnering experience as a journalistic writer and photographer at Loveland Magazine through high school, his interest only grew. An appreciation for context and community began to enter Smith’s work. Through high school, he explored cinematography and filmmaking. He helped to create the Loveland High School film club and has made it a goal to support Loveland’s young artistic circle. His film and photography work has garnered awards and attention, such as three National Youth Film Festival selections and a nomination for best animated film.
Sam Smith has made it his goal to share art that is both personal and universal. At only twenty-years-old, Sam Smith aims to continue on a path where he can share light and experience with others through art. Smith currently attends New York University and is studying film with a focus on animation.
Smith will be raffling two free copies of Abandoned Cincinnati on the Loveland Magazine Facebook Page.
To see more of Sam Smith’s work, visit www.samwsmith.net, check out his vimeo and follow @samwsmith33 on Instagram.
