Photographer and filmmaker Valérie Anex documented unfinished housing developments that were abandoned during the recession in Ireland.
Photographer and filmmaker Valérie Anex documented unfinished housing developments that were abandoned during the recession in Ireland.
Valerie Anex
From the mid-1990s through the late 2000s, homes were being built in unprecedented numbers in Ireland.
From the mid-1990s through the late 2000s, homes were being built in unprecedented numbers in Ireland.
Valerie Anex
In 2007, the bubble burst and many properties couldn't no longer be sold.
In 2007, the bubble burst and many properties couldn't no longer be sold.
Valerie Anex
Ireland came to be littered with so-called "ghost estates," the subject of Anex's photo series.
Ireland came to be littered with so-called "ghost estates," the subject of Anex's photo series.
Valerie Anex
Anex spent three weeks driving across northwest Ireland to photograph the ghost estates.
Anex spent three weeks driving across northwest Ireland to photograph the ghost estates.
Valerie Anex
The photographer said she often followed the highway billboards advertising houses for sale to find the unfinished developments.
The photographer said she often followed the highway billboards advertising houses for sale to find the unfinished developments.
Valerie Anex
Anex said she found a number of people living in the estates, although she didn't include them in her series.
Anex said she found a number of people living in the estates, although she didn't include them in her series.
Valerie Anex
"Sometimes I wondered, 'Why am I doing this? It's so creepy,'" Anex recalled. "Every time I left one of these estates, I had this feeling of relief."
"Sometimes I wondered, 'Why am I doing this? It's so creepy,'" Anex recalled. "Every time I left one of these estates, I had this feeling of relief."
Valerie Anex