Existing

In the 60's & 70's, the Yugoslavian president (at the time) commissioned different sculptors and architects to build structures to commemorate sites where WWII battles took place or where Concentration Camps had been located.  When the Republic dissolved in the early 90's, these amazing man-made structures were abandoned and completely forgotten about.  Their symbolic, decaying beauty has been captured by photographer Jan Kempenaers.  I find these monuments to be absolutely stunning, surreal, futuristic, and even eerie.

All photos via Jan Kampenaers.

Dust Belles

William Eggleston has always been my favorite photographer.  I have a vivid memory of looking through a book of his photographs at the Monterey Library as a child, and even then they evoked such beauty and emotion.
Sadly, I missed his collection that was recently displayed at LACMA (still hitting myself over the head about that one).
I haven't spent much time in the Southern region of the United States, so I can't say that I truly understand the Southern spirit (unless you count having a true understanding/appreciation for Southern cooking).  Eggleston's photos, to me, capture what I imagine to be the spirit of the South in the 60's-70's.  His use of color is magical, and his portraits + landscapes tell beautiful, deeply rooted stories that I find fascinating.
Here are some of my favorite photos (although it's difficult to choose).

All photographs via The Eggleston Trust