Decay of the Countryside (Oostenrijk, 2004-2006)
The social and economic changes of recent years have led to the loss of many farms in Austria.
Because a farming family can no longer be supported with a traditional agricultural business, many farmers have had to give up their profession – a phenomenon called Bauernsterben. Diametrically opposed to this harsh reality is the romantic way in which the countryside is depicted in films and advertisements. With her partly staged series Decay of the Countryside, Gerlinde Miesenböck shows the transition of the rural population. They try to preserve their traditions and at the same time meet the demands of modern times. They still live in picturesque farms, but they have lost their proper function.
