Becka Viau: Young Farmers
As an exhibition, Young Farmers acts as a grey space where one may consider both positive and negative approaches to the situation of young farmers. It is both a celebration of individuals, and a condemnation of the socio-economic climate in which they exist. After reading the following essays, one discovers that the truth of the matter exists somewhere in-between.
Mireille Eagan, Curator
POSITIVE
As she spoke to young farmers, Becka Viau would notice how they placed a hand on nearby animals before answering a question. They would ground themselves, touching the familiar.
Many had been raised on their farm, taking over from their aging parents. A few had developed their own businesses and local initiatives. All of them had chosen to be there.
While the farm population is decreasing, its capacity expands. Youth are powerful. To be young, able-bodied and passionate is a potent formula for major changes. Despite hardship (and perhaps by virtue of it), the younger generation of farmers have
initiated creative, remarkable successes.
Over a lifetime, Canada’s farmers have adapted to changes in technology and markets. More and more young farmers are highly educated. Some have become specialized and have found their niche in today’s market-driven world, while for others, farming may be more of a lifestyle choice. Some work from offices and warehouse locations, others in the mud of a family farm.
Simply put, farming today is no longer just about growing food for the commodities markets; it is a labour of love.
This exhibition celebrates young Prince Edward Island farmers by bringing them into the public eye, causing individuals normally hidden to be viewed and considered. This is achieved through a commingling of sound and photograph. Photography is traditionally considered the most objective and “honest” of media, a misconception that Viau has asked us to realize. Even though she effectively “frames” a scene, Viau asks the viewer to move beyond what is represented. To emphasize her motive, Viau does not stop at the two-dimensional. She includes audio recordings in an effort to present the farmer’s voices and their environment.
In this exhibition, difference becomes the unifying factor on a number of levels. Within the gallery space, the individuals become a symbolic grouping under the title “Young Farmers.” We consider them as parts, and as part of a whole. Then, as is only natural, we think of ourselves. We become aware that we too are a part of this group. We are segregated, we are a culture of individuality, but we are connected. We rely on the work of these farmers, and can support them.
Viau’s photographs are one small part of an effort to tell the story of an island and the farmers who live here. Nevertheless, it shows that amidst decline and hardship, there is hope.
NEGATIVE
“This one’s a sad story,” Becka tells me as she shows me her photographs. “The farmer runs the entire operation by himself. So many animals, no help, and any money that is made is put back to the farm. There is little to no profit.”
This causes one to ask: Why is the situation so sad at the production level? How can it be that farmers can make more money from their land by selling it rather than farming it?
Often referred to as the Garden of the Gulf, Prince Edward Island now experiences considerable decline in the very industries that it puts on the cover of tourist brochures. Marketers showcase small towns and stunning farmlands, but the reality is something quite different.
The disparity is plainly found (or not found) in the aisles of the now pervasive grocery superstores. It is a rarity to come across local food. Even the items one considers trademark Island products are imported from elsewhere.
Whether they raise wheat, sheep, pork, beef, mixed vegetables or potatoes, the Islanders who run our small farms have struggled to keep pace with the demand for cheap, abundant food. Threats to farming have ranged from the high cost of land and crippling interest rates to corporate competition and encroaching city boundaries.
This was not always the case. Fifty years ago production levels for smaller farming operations were fruitful. Over the course of one generation, they have fallen sharply. Big farms have taken over. Some farmers have adapted and thrived, but for others the strain has proven too much. Although rare, farmer suicides occur. When farmers can’t hire help, can’t take care of their animals, and can’t afford food for the table, the feeling of failure can seem overwhelming.
The decline is felt nationwide. Canada’s farming population is shrinking, reaching a historic low, according to Statistics Canada figures. While one in three Canadians used to live on a farm in 1931, that number plummetted to one in forty-six in 2006.
In addition, the average age of farmers is increasingly older. According to Statistics Canada, 11.2 per cent of the farm population was over the age of 65, up from 6.1 per cent in 1971.
On several levels, the farming lifestyle is dying. We leave hope to the younger generation of farmers,
but don’t really nurture it; systems of support are lackluster. Younger farmers must often leave farming for other careers, whether they want to or not.
Viau has brought this situation to our attention. Images and stories present the lives of individuals who are struggling to make do. She shows us an abysmal state of affairs, one that begs us to consider: what will happen to our small farms? Where is the hope for the future?
Artist Bio
Becka Viau began her life as a Canadian East Coaster in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, March 29, 1983. Shortly after she was born, her parents moved to rural Prince Edward Island where Becka spent her life growing, developing and discovering her passion for creative exploration. Becka Viau is a recent BFA graduate from NSCAD University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Focusing on a major in photography and a minor in drawing, her work has surrounded themes of self, community, gender and identity politics.
Becka is currently living and working as an artist in Prince Edward Island. She strongly believes art is a vital ingredient to a healthy community and looks forward to contributing to the diverse and thriving arts community on the Island.
Young Farmers is curated by Mireille Eagan and is on display until May 31.