Chemical Weapons Storage, Wendover Air Base

Misrach photographs scenes of human impact on the landscapes of the American West, from factory farms to nuclear testing sites. Utah’s Wendover Air Base was once an important military airfield, but after World War II, it fell into disuse and disrepair. Wendover still functions as a local airport today, but most of its 128 military buildings sit abandoned. Misrach’s photo of the former base’s chemical weapons storage—a tiny, rusted island in a pool of water—feels forebodingly still. Through the looming clouds, rich colors, and the distance of his camera, Misrach communicates the lingering atmosphere of danger still present in these abandoned sites.