The Golden Apples of the Sun

Chernobyl Triptych

This week I have been reading about Chernobyl and the ‘Zone of Alienation‘ – more often referred to by its less contemporary sounding but still pure sci-fi title of ‘The Exclusion Zone’. This 30km area of Ukraine and Belarus remains poisoned and largely off-limits to mankind, thanks to the radioactivity that was released and remains today 30 years after the explosion at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in 1986.The story of Chernobyl is a tragedy for those that were killed, had to leave, and the next generation who have inherited the negative health impacts of radiation  – but from this tragedy has  also emerged a strange beauty.

The Zone of Alienation is now a holy grail for  those into the ‘Abandoned’ – I cannot really articulate how much I hate the phrase ‘Ruin Porn’ – and Chernobyl newsreel visuals and abandoned soundscapes are pure Hauntology. Now a triptych is being explored as a new generation of gaming enthusiasts (players and designers) seek to explore as the basis for creating post-apocalyptic environments the inspiration the derelict facilities of the Chernobyl Reactor and the abandoned streets, offices, apartments, bus stations and amusement parks of the nearby city of Pripyat where 50,000 people left the city on an afternoon with nothing other than what they could carry never to return. Have a look at the screenshots from S.T.A.L.K.E.R  Call of Pripyat is one of many examples.

Chernobyl Triptych – Hauntology

Watch below or listen here to  26IV by the sound artist Concretism

Chernobyl Triptych – Abandoned

Watch Adrian Musto’s excellent 2012 DIY documentary as he visits Chernobyl and Pripyat. It has an excellent hauntological introductory sequence of newsreel footage and a great atmospheric soundtrack. The scene in the dark hospital basement where the discarded clothes and shoes are found that belonged to the 27 firemen sent in 30 years ago is amazing.

Warning – A few early photos of the health impacts of radiation on children may disturb viewers

Get the Soundtrack on Bandcamp here

Chernobyl Triptych – Gaming

STALKER Call of Pripyat is the third chapter in the Stalker Chernobyl franchise and features – wait for it – “Photorealistic exclusion Zone – Pripyat town, Yanov railway station, Jupiter factory, Kopachi village and more, recreated by their true-to-life prototypes”.

More explorations

The two hour plus Battle for Chernobyl has amazing archive footage and also tells of the creation of the sarcophagus that encased Reactor 4

Knowledge Glue – 140 unseen photos

Huge Photo Essay by Andrew Leatherbarrow

Pripyat abandoned city drone footage