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Oliver Udy
Rurality
This 'Rurality' project developed when I moved back to Cornwall to study at Falmouth. I had been away for three years and when I returned I had a chance to see Cornwall’s countryside in a new light. I realised that what I thought I knew about rural life was only a tiny part of the reality, and that I was not the only one guilty of this oversight. The small details are often overlooked but to me they began to become more important. They told their own stories, whether insightful, funny or melancholy.
As I explored these stories, a number of themes started to emerge in my photographs. The vernacular of rural life, of both language and architecture, presented a challenge to the stereotypical view of the countryside, from which Cornwall suffers. In short, the small elements came together and illustrated the truth of the bigger picture. However, by tackling the project in the way I did, I believe I managed a slightly humorous view of what can sometimes be a very bleak lifestyle.
Photography for me is a chance to tell a story about a life that is going on, often under peoples’ noses. The images that I enjoy taking are not grand political statements, but tell a quieter, but no less important tale.
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