Though we are well beyond the recent pandemic, Gen Z still feels the suffocation of those lockdown days, which makes it understandable why they remain fascinated by liminal spaces. Empty or transitional halls, abandoned malls, and lone-standing parking garages all insinuate their very dreaded pandemic-era isolation and the urge to engage with real people once again. Hence, it is no wonder that these “in-between” places reflect a comfortable familiarity with digital existence, turning unsettling atmospheres into a popular aesthetic known as “liminal horror.” The sudden emptying of public spaces created their shared living experience in a “liminal” state. These liminal spaces instantly catch their attention wherever they appear, just as in Kane Parsons’ viral Backrooms YouTube series, which began on January 7, 2022. It was…
