TWENTY-SIX BROKEN BOUNDRIES

 

In preparation for the forthcoming module 'Sustainable Strategies', we were invited to produce a ‘micro-project’ taking influence from the 1963 publication ‘Twentysix Gasoline Stations’ by Edward Ruscha.

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The original publication by Edward Ruscha was best described as factual records of petrol stations as he drove the highway from Los Angeles to Oklahoma City. The format of the book reveals one or two photographs within relatively large areas of white space. The images are simply captioned with the name of the station and its location.

 

This concept resonated with many, and his format subsequently influenced the work of photographers across the world, as detailed in ‘Various Small Books.’

 

In order to replicate this concept, I decided to record a subject matter that was close to home. The notion was to record the mundane, everyday, frequently overlooked subject matter of our farm gateways. The title ‘Broken Boundaries’ refers to the natural break in the hedge required for access to cultivate, protect, or contain livestock.

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Drawn to the aesthetics, I appreciated the natural frame created by the gateways – windows edging the enclosure beyond. Relating back to my initial research proposal in which I plan to investigate the relationship between nature and farming practice I have chosen to title my images simply, with the field name and the current use of the field, for example; cattle grazing, spring barley, and wildlife areas.