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Life, Death and Gardening (formerly Diary No.30) Life, Death and Gardening explores the life of Nanda, an elderly woman living alone in England’s rural southwest. I took my first photograph of Nanda in 2019 while working for her in the garden. Over the past five years, that single image has evolved into a large body of work, following her day-to-day life. Nanda is a peculiar character, having largely avoided the pitfalls of modernity. Instead, she has chosen a relatively frugal existence, opting to grow her own food, and fixing and reusing wherever possible.   However, these pleasures have become less possible with each year that passes. Nanda’s world is slowly shrinking as the things that once shaped her identity gradually slip out of reach.

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Formerly West Somerset is a documentation of life in the least socially mobile region in England. Put bluntly, low social mobility means that if you are born into poverty, you will most likely die in poverty.
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The findings were announced in 2017 via the State of the Nation report put together by the Social Mobility Commission. The report explains that the areas which are affected by low social mobility are those which are rural, coastal or those which have lost their main industry. All three factors are applicable to West Somerset, making it a challenging place to flourish. 
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Despite the hindrance of its socioeconomic conditions, the people of West Somerset remain positive, there is an air of contentment and hope for the future.
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