d’Jugnd im Innviertel

St. Marienkirchen/H., Austria. 2022

In 2022, I spent four months in residence in a village in the Innviertel region of Upper Austria. That's where I created my photo series “d'Jugnd im Innviertel” (Youth in the Innviertel). It shows young people who want to take over their parents' farms and have been working there since childhood. Their future often seems to be already mapped out. At the same time, I portray young people who look beyond the village and may eventually leave to experience something different.

The work tells of everyday life between fields and clubs and of how formative and sometimes restrictive life in the countryside can be. Especially for those who do not conform to the majority. I lived in the village myself for four months, took part in club life, and got to know the social structures that give children and young people a sense of stability. Despite many privileges, I repeatedly felt like an outsider.

“d'Jugnd im Innviertel” combines quiet everyday scenes with moments of tradition, belonging, and new beginnings. The series is a portrait of growing up in the countryside.