Given the urban-centric view of the world most of us posses it's all to easy to forget that social and cultural change, and the associated problems, challenges and opportunities they bring, aren't limited to our cities. An exhibition of photographs of the Ostrach valley in Bavaria by local photographer Christian Heumader attempts to reinforce this point.
Presented at the Schwäbisches Bauernhofmuseum Illerbeuren near Kempten im Allgäu as part of the Architekturforum Allgäu's LandLuft programme, HeuHütten.BergBauern.LandSchafft aims to both explain the nature of the changes taking place in the Ostrach valley, and also remind us why it is important that these changes are managed every bit as carefully as we expect our urban change to be managed.
The photographs presented are all black and white. Now as many of you will be aware nothing, but nothing, brings us into a rage quite like contemporary black and white photography; and so we'll ignore the monochrome nature of the photos and concentrate on the context.
As we'd advise everyone else to do.
The exhibition is based on photographs published in Christian Heumader's books Hoibat – Die Geschichte der Bergwiesen im Ostrachtaland from 2011 and 2013's Stadel und Schinde – Hütten und Fluren der Hindelanger Bergbauern and presents images of the typical agricultural buildings, structures and constructions of the region, often in various states of disrepair, and images of the typical agricultural folk of the region. Be that those older members who have spent their whole lives in the valley or those younger members who probably won't.
In addition, or perhaps better put, above all, the photographs show the Ostrach valley, show that such a valley doesn't just exist for pleasant Sunday afternoon strolls, show why it is important that an area such as the Ostrach valley is cared for and by extrapolation explain that demographic change, social pressure, technological advance and evolving identities are rural as well as urban issues.
And unavoidable issues for rural communities in western Europe just as they are for those in Africa, Asia, southern America or far eastern Russia on whom documentarists normally focus.
And so something in which we should all take an interest.
HeuHütten.BergBauern.LandSchafft runs at the Schwäbisches Bauernhofmuseum Illerbeuren, Museumstraße 8 87758 Kronburg (Illerbeuren) until Sunday November 30th.
