While city dwellers often dream of a life unplugged from the density, noise, and pressures of modern living, few are able or willing to cut ties with the convenience it affords. In his series, Scrublands, French artist Antoine Bruy draws focus on the lives of people who have chosen to leave behind the commotion of urban living in search of a more simple and self-sufficient life.
Between 2010 and 2015, Bruy travelled throughout Europe and the United States in search of those who have embraced an off-grid lifestyle, far from the nearest Wi-Fi hotspot or grocery store. Using the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) network to locate individuals and communities practicing subsistence farming and using renewable energy sources, Bruy visited people living in remote areas ranging from the Carpathian Mountains in Romania to the Rockies in Colorado. Often staying with his subjects for weeks or months at a time, he takes part in their way of life—helping with the work and responsibilities necessary to live off-grid. Using a medium format film camera, Bruy documents his encounters, offering a glimpse into a world of ingenuity, isolation, and wilderness.
Brought together, the images in Scrublands meditate on the experiences of those who have chosen to trade a life of industrialized comfort for one of solitude and autonomy.
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