“After the Apocalypse” by Photographer Lori Nix

Photographer Lori Nix hand-crafted dioramas are fictional scenes of a post-apocalyptic world in which plants and decay reclaim both grand and mundane structures. Each structure is built in Nix’s living room and can take over half a year to build.

Library, 2007. Photographer Lori Nix says this is the most popular image she has made for this project that she calls “The City”. (Photo by Lori Nix)


Casino, 2013. “Time and Mother Nature become the great equalizer in these deserted spaces”, Nix said. “Grand cultural chambers acquire the same gritty patina as the local laundromat or industrial control room”. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Space Center, 2013. The pieces can be between two and six feet wide. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Anatomy Classroom, 2012. Nix uses power tools and saws to craft items out of different materials from foam board to wood. Glass pieces and delicate work with gold leaf are done by Nix’s partner, Kathleen. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Subway, 2012. A diorama can take up to half a year to create. Then it takes a few weeks to shoot the final 8×10 photograph. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Control Room, 2010. Some of Nix’s favorite images from the series include “Control Room”, “Anatomy Classroom” and “Botanic Garden”. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Fountain, 2008. Her fascination with the apocalypse is rooted in her childhood growing up in Kansas, where each season was marked with its own natural disasters. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Aquarium, 2007. After the successful completion of a photograph, Nix will pick over the diorama for salvageable parts and throw the rest away. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Church, 2009. She also keeps her favorite items that she made from scratch, including the signs from “Church” and a specimen from “Anatomy Classroom”. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Shoe Store, 2013. Nix began the series 15 years ago after moving to New York. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Mall, 2010. Some reusable items like furniture and plants are reused in new scenes. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Beauty Shop, 2010. Nix’s memories or everyday scenes around her often serve as the inspiration for her dioramas. The beauty shop photo is rooted in years of going with her mother to the beauty shop. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Chinese Take-Out, 2013. This diorama is inspired by a Chinese takeout restaurant near Nix. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Vacuum Showroom, 2006. In total, Nix has created over 60 dioramas. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Laundromat at Night, 2008. Although Nix is ready to move on to other projects, new ideas for “The City” keep pulling her back. She is also concurrently working on a project called “Unnatural History”, consisting of dioramas of imagined behind-the-scene views of a natural history museum. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Bar, 2009. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Botanic Garden, 2008. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Clock Tower, 2005. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Great Hall, 2006. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Majestic, 2006. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Map Room, 2010. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Museum of Art, 2005. (Photo by Lori Nix)

Violin Repair Shop, 2011. (Photo by Lori Nix)