The Ruins of Detroit

Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre are two French photographers who began their productive collaboration in 2002. Fascinated by modern ruins, they embarked on a number of projects in America and Asia culminating in three major books: The Ruins of Detroit (published in 2010), Guankanjima (published in 2013), and Movie Theaters (published in 2021/2022). Marchand/Meffre’s first book on the city of Detroit surveyed the rampant urban decay of that city, which had suffered worse economic damage than any other major American city. They documented the disintegration, showcasing structures that were formerly a source of civic pride, and which now stand as monuments to the city’s fall from grace. The Ruins of Detroit sold more than 30,000 copies and has been out of print for some time. Prestel will re-publish the original version with an added foreword that will comment on both the city’s development and Marchand/Meffre’s photographic contribution to urban ruins photography.