FORGOTTEN ARCHITECTURE: Exploring the Beauty in Neglect

About the Open Call

Abandoned buildings are more than relics of the past—they are silent monuments to history, memory, and the passage of time. Their peeling paint, fractured walls, and quiet interiors hold stories that have slipped into stillness. In this juried exhibition, Decagon Gallery invites photographers to explore the strange allure and poetic resonance of architectural spaces left behind. We are seeking images that engage with the theme of abandoned or neglected structures—buildings overtaken by nature, spaces weathered by time, or interiors echoing with absence. Both documentary and interpretive approaches are welcome. Whether your work is rooted in urban exploration, formal composition, or surreal reinterpretation, we want to see how you find beauty in decay. The exhibition will be juried by Andrew Moore, widely acclaimed for his long-term photographic series documenting the effect of time on landscapes. His works are held in major museum collections, and he has received prestigious fellowships and grants.

What is Offered

First Place: $500 cash prize and an online Solo exhibition. Second Place: $300 cash prize. Third Place: $200 cash prize. Juror’s Awards and Honorable Mentions. All awards include a FREE exhibition catalog (only to countries Blurb delivers to). All selected photographers will receive a digital award badge. Selected work will be published in a printed exhibition catalog available for purchase. A short video presentation will be created and shared on our YouTube channel and the gallery website and social media.

Requirements

Open to photographers age 18 and older, worldwide. Artists grant Decagon Gallery the right to download, store, and use submitted images and accompanying text for jurying, promotion of the exhibition, inclusion in print exhibition catalog, YouTube video slideshow, and archival documentation. Artists retain full copyright to their submitted images and text.

How to Apply

All entries must be submitted via the provided online form. Submitted photographs must be labeled 'First Name-Last Name_title'. Format: JPEG or JPG, 72 dpi, minimum size 2100 px on the longest side. Files must be set to 2100 pixels on the long edge, saved as jpg or jpeg, and be less than 3 mb.