• Hardcover – 240 pages
  • Publisher: Jonk Editions
  • Language: French and English
  • Size: 30.2cm x 21.6cm
  • ISBN: 978-2957645008

Released in April 2021

Préface by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Photographer, reporter, director and environmentalist.
President of theGoodPlanet Foundation

A word from the author and the editor:

In March 2018, Naturalia was published. I was honoured to have a preface written by Alain Schnapp – historian and archaeologist, author of a number of books on the theme of ruins, and former director of the Institut National de l’Histoire de l’Art.

Shortly after, in June 2018, I gave up a career in finance to devote myself exclusively to this project. Through Naturalia, and my modest means as a photographer, I try to play my part in the ecological challenge facing Man, by making each and every one of us more aware.

Today, three years after the publication of the first volume, I wanted to make a follow-on. This time, it is Yann Arthus-Bertrand who has done me the honour of writing the preface.

The last three years have been very important in terms of ecology. On the one hand, the situation has deteriorated even further with yet another species becoming extinct every single day. Global warming continues and has caused repeated natural catastrophes: floods, fires, droughts, etc. On the other hand, our collective awareness has widely increased. We are still a long way from the commitment needed to really change things, but we are heading in the right direction. Millions of initiatives have already emerged and I hope that my photos and the message contained within them can play a small part in the collective challenge facing us all.

This second volume compiles the developments of my photographs of abandoned places reclaimed by nature. I add that I have taken into account the two remarks that I have heard the most about the first. Naturalia II is therefore in French and English and all the photos are captioned.

The book shows 221 pictures shot in 17 countries. Castles, factories, churches, schools, amusement parks and other structures, abandoned by Man and taken over by Nature, make up this second opus. The book complements the Naturalia series and continues the research initiated on the relationship between Man and Nature. Through these images, I once again show the strength of Nature and invite reflection on the place we occupy on Earth, and on the urgency of finally showing ourselves to be humble.

PRESS REVIEW

“Jonk, a self-taught photographer, focuses his work on humans and their relationship with nature, to help raise awareness about the planet’s ecological crisis.” Vice (translated from Spanish)

“Jonk is driven by passion. What he’s doing with his Naturalia work carries a strong message: he’s trying to raise awareness of the urgent need to mobilize. He wants to bring ecology to the heart of people’s consciences.” Yann Arthus-Bertrand  (translated from French) 

“When you’re out and about on the roads of France and the rest of the world, you may come across a ruined house or a rusty car. It makes you wonder why humans have abandoned them, and what will become of them. Photographer Jonk travels the world to capture this mystery. […] His work is driven by his ecological conscience. But for the photographer, these places are far from sending out a negative message. If they are proof of man’s impact on the planet, the photographer remains hopeful for the future.” Wedemain (translated from French) 

“When you’re out and about on the roads of France and the rest of the world, you may come across a ruined house or a rusty car. It makes you wonder why humans have abandoned them, and what will become of them. Photographer Jonk travels the world to capture this mystery. […] His work is driven by his ecological conscience. But for the photographer, these places are far from sending out a negative message. If they are proof of man’s impact on the planet, the photographer remains hopeful for the future.” Wedemain (translated from French) 

“As with Jonk’s first book on the subject, Naturalia II is a compilation of photographs taken during his adventurous explorations of abandoned places. This is not an inventory of just any kind of abandoned place, no, Naturalia II shows places that we humans have abandoned but that nature has reclaimed. There are all kinds of buildings in this world that man has abandoned and that nature has made magnificently its own, invading infrastructures damaged by time. This work requires a great deal of time and effort on the part of photographer Jonk, who, for this second book, has collected 221 photos taken in 17 different countries. He travels, but not only. It’s easy to understand that the places he photographs are difficult to access. They have to be found and entered before you can place your camera there. […] By opening up to the whole world and searching in an unlimited number of countries, Jonk creates an infinitely varied panel of places submerged by nature. Naturalia II is like a message of hope: no matter how much man wants to crush and dominate it, in the end nature always gets the upper hand. Unlike human beings, nature never abandons a place where it has made its home.” Beware (translated from French) 

“Life knows how to hang on, and its capacity for resilience is astonishing. This, in essence, is the message conveyed by the photographic work of Jonk, who has just published Naturalia II, a new opus in his Chronique des Ruines Contemporaines.  […] In Naturalia II, each of the images conveys a strange poetry, like an invitation to meditate on the passage of time and the ephemeral creations of Man.” Aventures pour le changement (translated from French) 

“Jonk follows in the footsteps of Yann Arthus-Bertrand.”  Georges Lévêque (translated from French) 

“How incredible are these photos?” Parker Harris

“Jonk left the world of finance for that of photography. The ephemeral for the eternal. His approach is philosophical. If man dies and his traces disappear, nature survives and persists, however painfully.” Momentum Nostrum (translated from French) 

“Faithful to his obsession, this extraordinary artist continued to travel the world in search of abandoned, out-of-time places.” The Eye of Photography  (translated from French) 

“What would cities be like if humanity were to disappear? Photographer Jonk may well have found the answer with his Naturalia and Naturalia II photo series: nature would take back what we have borrowed from it, often forcibly and brutally… Shots that create a veritable poetry of abandonment where, behind this apparently sad vision, there is ultimately hope, that of a gradual return of Nature.” Les lumières de la ville (translated from French) 

“In his 6th book, Jonk reveals 221 beautiful photographs taken in 17 countries. This magnificent work highlights abandoned places inexorably reclaimed by Nature. Throughout the pages, we discover astonishing, dreamlike series such as this singular ballroom in Germany or this temple in Taiwan. We love his inspiring commitment to the environment, and his message to change things as quickly as possible.” Luxury Touch (translated from French) 

“Jonk travels the world on the trail of places abandoned by humans. The photographer, who is releasing Naturalia II this spring, likes to capture and immortalize them for a good cause. Jonk hunts them down on every territory, on every continent. His obsession: finding areas that humans have abandoned. Time has passed, and vegetation has reclaimed its rightful place among ruined buildings or at the foot of demolished walls. His photos, which he has compiled into a magnificent book, bear witness to this. “Nature is stronger than we are”, explains Jonk in this interview, in which he talks about his adventures and his commitment.” Le Zephyr (translated from French) 

“A magnificent photo album.” Journal de France (translated from French) 

“After the reign of man, the apocalypse? Photographer Jonk takes a different, more positive view. This second volume extends the first opus Naturalia, published in 2018. All human life is absent from his images. But, despite the clearly visible traces left by the hand of man, he shows us above all a resilient, omnipresent nature in abandoned places. It’s worth looking at each image with these words in mind, written by the author in his introduction: “When Nature and Time have taken back what Man has abandoned, what will be left of our civilization?”. And those of Yann Arthus-Bertrand, who wrote the preface: “There’s a real search for meaning among young people that certainly didn’t exist in my day.” He emphasizes how commitment, in this case to the environment, can make people happy. Which is Jonk’s case. Even the apparent chaos of a car stuck in a tree gives rise to a surprising beauty. Beyond commitment and a taste for travel, clearing these depopulated places also requires a certain talent. Jonk’s talent shines through throughout this book (his sixth), in full color. A ray of hope. Until Naturalia III…” Le Monde de la Photo (translated from French) 

“A fascinating book that immerses us in the most remote places on the planet.” Traveler.es (translated from Spanish)

“Jonk captures the decay of abandoned sites, which come back to life in the form of a second chance, for us to contemplate as if it were pure poetry. The artist returns with a second book of 221 images taken across 17 countries that frame the thriving vegetation creeping slinkily through the splintered concrete and decaying architecture. They turn out beautifully!” esVivir (translated from Spanish)

“He traveled the world to photograph ruins. “What will remain of our civilization?” After an expedition on the trail of the remains of communist monuments in the former Yugoslavia and an uneventful escapade to Kazakhstan’s, and once Soviet, Baikonur, Jonk is again taking in places that have fallen into ruin, been forgotten by man. In his latest album, Naturalia II, he presents what remains of human activity, and where Mother Nature is now in charge.” Onet Kultura (translated from Polish)

“From dilapidated power plants, abandoned medical facilities, and amusement parks left in rusted ruin, the compelling scenes that French photographer Jonk captures are evidence of nature’s endurance and power to reclaim spaces transformed by people. This succeeding volume is a follow-up to Jonk’s first book by the same name and focuses on the ways the ecological crisis has evolved during the last three years.” Colossal

“Nature rises to take back abandoned buildings in photographer Jonk’s fascinating shots. Power plants, abandoned medical facilities and amusement parks left to their own devices. The subjects of photographer Jonk’s compelling photographs tell of the tenacity with which nature is taking back spaces borrowed by humans.” wonews.co.uk (translated from Italian) 

“Jonk: the photographer who sublimates Nature in abandoned places. An insatiable French photographer who is constantly on the lookout for new places to immortalize, Jonk’s urban exploration brings us face-to-face with relics devoured by time and reclaimed by Nature. His photographs, where poetry and magic intertwine, magnify the place of Nature.” La fabrique des récits (translated from French) 

“Thought-Provoking Photos Show Ruins Reclaimed by Nature. Even as the paint peels off walls, and idle machinery rusts, the eerie beauty of such overgrown scenes evokes what Jonk calls “infinite poetry”. The stark contrast between the human-built elements in Jonk’s images and the quiet triumph of nature’s birthright presents an important existential question as we come to a crossroads between sleepwalking into dead end of “business as usual,” or embarking on an exciting but uncertain journey toward radical change: “when Nature and Time will have taken back what Man abandons, what will be left of our civilization?” Like the first volume, Naturalia II presents a sweeping visual catalog of how that question might be answered in the future, and how the ongoing ecological crisis is slowly but surely transforming these forgotten pockets of the world.” Treehugger

“True to his obsession, this extraordinary artist has continued to travel the world in search of abandoned, out-of-time places. Three years after Naturalia, he presents 221 photos taken in 17 countries. Each shot has a strange poetic quality, like an invitation to meditate on the passage of time and man’s ephemeral creations.” Paris côté jardin (translated from French) 

“These incredible, breathtaking images show magnificent but dilapidated places reclaimed by Mother Nature.” FR24news (translated from French) 

“From ruined power plants to amusement parks, Jonathan Jimenez’s photographs are testaments to the resilience of nature reclaiming spaces stripped of human activity.” anatropinews.gr (translated from Greek)

“Abandoned by man, these places have been reclaimed by nature in striking photographs.” Démotivateur (translated from French) 

“Photographer Jonk offers superb images of sites left abandoned by human beings where Nature has reclaimed its rights.” GoodPlanet.mag (translated from French) 

“Jonk’s images are as if out of time. Or, more precisely, as witnesses to the “world after”. This vegetation, often abundant, sometimes discreet but very present, gradually invading places abandoned by man, gives us a glimpse of the future of the planet as we imagine it once the human race is extinct. This is undoubtedly their strength. An evocation of our fragility and transience, compared to the relentless, eternal rebirth of nature. The abandonment and dilapidation of the chosen locations contrasts with the joyful, light-hearted life that now flourishes there. Beyond the reflection, a certain poetry emerges.” Bluewin.ch (translated from French) 

“Jonk is a passionate and no doubt a little obsessive Parisian photographer who has traveled many countries in search of places deserted by humans, then invaded, often spectacularly, by Nature. Jonk’s photographic work is meticulous, almost poetic. Places as incredible as they are unexpected are nibbled away by nature, like this show stage in Taiwan, this swimming pool in Denmark or this car graveyard in Sweden. These photos show just what the Earth would look like if Man were to disappear.” magazinevideo.com (translated from French) 

“Not to be missed!” Journal de France (translated from French) 

“A sincerely ambitious book” Réponses photo (translated from French) 

“An ode to abandoned places” Le Télégramme (translated from French) 

“Photographer Jonk offers superb images of sites left abandoned by human beings, where nature has reclaimed its rights.” Futura Planet  (translated from French) 

“These photos show how nature is reclaiming abandoned places Abandoned swimming pools, empty factories, rust and peeling paint – the beauty of transience has fascinated photographer Jonk for years. With his photos, he shows how powerfully nature is reclaiming these places.” Geo.de (translated from German)

“The images of places abandoned by humans have a whimsical, mysterious beauty. However, the ecological message of the images is a clear warning: it is time to act!” Lilli Green (translated from German)

“Three years after the first volume, the photos taken by this land wreck hunter surprise, challenge and raise questions about the passage of time and our (ephemeral?) place on the planet.” Terres Sauvages  (translated from French) 

“Exceptional photographs that question man’s place on Earth and his relationship with nature, and aim to raise awareness at a time when man’s impact on the environment has never been greater.” Espèces menacées (translated from French) 

“Jonk’s latest self-published book Naturalia II is a testament to the dedication he has to his art, a breathtaking collection of images gathered from around the world that reveal the slumberings of once thriving places that range from swimming pools and theme parks through to factories and sanitoriums, unloved and quietly rotting away, each with a story to tell regarding their spectacular fall from grace. That it’s a labour of love is without doubt, and Jonk is relentless in his pursuit of the next target, and prepared to go through extraordinary lengths to ensure that he comes back with the pictures he’s after.” Professionalphoto.online

“Amazing Pictures of Nature Reclaiming Civilization.”  M2

“Jonk is the Indiana Jones of contemporary ruins. If anxiety can arise at first glance at the annihilation of our own civilization, this feeling fades, over the course of 240 pages, in favor of a reverie where melancholy mixes with wonder around a discovery singular: dressed and pacified by plants, the ugliest and most aggressive architectures access the quiet beauty of the ruins of all eras.” Le Moniteur (translated from French) 

“Traveling in search of abandoned places reclaimed by nature, to photograph all the poetry of this almost magical process, such is Jonk’s quest.” Perspective   (translated from French) 

“Jonk’s photos surprise, challenge, question. We find ourselves imagining the story behind the image, wondering about the causes that led to the departure of the men who left everything behind them. We admire, almost in spite of ourselves, the strength of Nature, which always returns to take its place.” By Frenchies (translated from French)

“Magnificent album” France info  (translated from French) 

“Best of portfolios 2021”  L’œil de la photographie

“Empty window frames and exposed construction metal are trellises for unbelievable, highly photogenic, Edens-in-the-making. Enjoy these beautiful, clearly spoken reminders that Nature’s power requires respect and care from every one of us.” Dek Unu

“In his works, the photographer combines the aesthetics and poetry of ruins with a broader reflection on man and nature. […] Surprising and poetic photos, which question the place of man and his relationship to nature.” ACPress (translated from French) 

READERS’ OPINION

“A Christmas gift for a friend, this book has given me complete satisfaction.” Michel, Fnac (translated from French)

“I receive the book Naturalia II. Oh my it is awesome. I look forward to collecting the others. “ Sarah, Facebook

“Art in all its forms should be encouraged, and here we touch on the talent of an obviously exceptional artist whose atypical approach is marvelous…It opens our eyes to these phantasmagorical landscapes as if suspended, offered to the nature that gently takes possession of them…” Eric, Facebook (translated from French)