Another fine mess

From dilapidated cottages to the site of a notorious nuclear disaster, what is behind the longing to seek out abandoned places, asks Katie Scott

OVER THE LAST 40 YEARS, ELLE HAS CELEBRATED CREATIVITY OF ALL KINDS. HERE, A RANGE OF TODAY’S LEADING ARTISTS, WRITERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS AND DIRECTORS SHARE THE RITUALS, ROUTINES AND REALITIES BEHIND THEIR GREATEST WORKS, FROM MIND-BLOWING EXCEL SHEETS TO THE MAGIC OF THE DARK ROOM

WINDINGS NO STRAIGHT ROAD TAKES YOU THERE ...

Clutter-free grandeur How the artist changed her untidy ways to create a stately studio workspace

ADMISSIONS SHADOW WORK Loneliness and the literary ...

Once a blank slate, this plot has flourished into a LIVING STORYBOOK filled with whimsy, warmth & a touch of magic