Ben Rivers

This is my land

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About this artwork

‘This is my Land’ is a cinematic portrait of a self-sufficient, solitary man called Jake Williams. Residing in a ramshackle cottage in rural Aberdeenshire, Rivers films Williams as he goes about his daily routine. Much of Rivers’s work focuses on the self-contained worlds of those who have turned their backs on aspects of modern living. In utilising an old Bolex camera the film has an archival quality, which gives the impression that Williams is a character from the past rather than the here and now. It is a tender exploration of a man who has separated himself from contemporary society.

Updated before 2020

  • artist:
    Ben Rivers (born 1972) English
  • title:
    This is my land
  • date created:
    2006
  • materials:
    16mm black-and-white film, with sound, 14min.
  • object type:
  • credit line:
    Purchased 2011
  • accession number:
    GMA 5162
  • gallery:
  • subject:
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Ben Rivers

Ben Rivers