Photo series tells the story of a dying industry -- and the scars it's leaving behind

Once the site of a thriving china clay industry, Cornwall, England is a region in economic decline. With rising costs and competition from the developing world, mining for porcelain clay is now barely economically viable is the area. Fragile Beast, a photo series from Aussie creative Chris Round, documents the environmental scars left behind by the dying industry, portraying them as metaphors for the emotional scars felt by a once thriving community. In doing so, Round highights an irony that endows the photos with a deeper meaning:

When one considers the physical and emotional scars that dominate this region, it’s easy to note the irony that china clay is the primary ingredient in porcelain: used to create beautiful, decorative vases and ornaments. And yet, like the environment, theirs is also a fragile existence.

See the rest of the series here.