‘This Farming Life’ explores the deep connection between farmers and the environment, with a primary focus on our family farm in Devon. I intend to present an emotional response of shared experience and personal observations of the worked land, exploring how time and life are woven through the landscape. Through deliberate construction and the ambiguous inclusion of human presence, I intend to blur the lines between truth and veracity, raising questions of belonging and alluding to the uncertain future faced by farmers.
Warnings that farmers are facing “crippling input costs, volatile supply chains and unpredictable weather” (NFU: 2023) mean that the acute burden being placed on farmers and growers is becoming unsustainable and will ultimately affect food security if left unchallenged. The farming community are also known to be experiencing extremely high levels of mental health issues, with 47% experiencing some form of anxiety or depression triggered by the increasingly complex issues within the farming sector. (Wheeler, R. Lobley, M: 2021)
Drawing on my personal experience within the farming sector I embrace a subjective, artistic expression, emphasising visual connotations that support tone and atmosphere. (Selway: 2017) Intentional areas of darkness within the images provide concealment and visual disturbance to encourage an individual interpretation by the viewer of this constructed reality. (Kogelsberger: 2020)
References:
Kogelsberger, Uta. 2020. ‘Night Vision’. Uta Kogelsberger. Available at: https://utakogelsberger.uk/night-vision[accessed 07/03/24]
National Farmers Union. 2023. ‘Unsustainable supply chains can't continue, NFU warns government’. NFU. https://www.nfuonline.com/updates-and-information/nfu-calls-for-action-six-months-onfrom-farm-to-fork-summit/ [accessed 04/04/24]
Selway, K. 2017. ‘Bill Nichols’ 6 Modes of Documentary’. Lift Off Global Network. Available at: https://liftoff.network/bill-nichols-6-modes-documentary/ [accessed 23/03/24]
Wheeler, Dr R. Lobley, M. 2020. ‘The Big Farming Survey’. Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution. Oxford. Available at: https://rabi.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/RABI-Big-Farming-Survey FINAL-single-pages-No-embargo-APP-min.pdf [accessed 04/04/24]