Rural Mutations
A long-term project, a portrait of contemporary rurality in mutation in this first part of the third millennium. It began in the Centre region, particularly in Loir-et-Cher, Indre-et-Loire, Loiret but also in Eure-et-Loir. A region relatively close to Paris, more or less 200km, but already semi-deserted. All activities are increasingly concentrated towards the already large attractive centers.
This is a work of exploration of the vast hexagonal rural territory to discover these signs of mutation. Between contemporary art for its systematism, classical photography for its simplicity and documentary photography for the reality of all authentic situations. With simple, frontal, always sunny images, only objects perpetrated or abandoned by humans make sense without humans ever being represented. Without pathos or melancholy. Work of memory without nostalgia, but not without a certain derision. Very influenced by American photography, which often lingered on its large deserted spaces of the deep countryside.
Along its roads, in its streets, its fields, its public spaces. Its buildings, landscapes, witnesses to the passage of time. From deep rurality, to traces of the historical past through tourist areas. Of its acceptance of modernity or its refusal. Traces of past, present or future lives. Of evolution, abandonment, history, modernity, resistance, desertification and often freedom and humor, far from the tumult of megalopolises.
This project nourishes the hope of expanding to the entire French territory in the coming years. Without ever being able to claim to be exhaustive, “Rural Mutations” aims for a certain contemporary portrait of French rurality.
