Second homes photography show closes after complaints
AN ARTIST has been forced to take down a controversial exhibition which appears to identify second homes across the Roseland after the display sparked anger in the local community.
The series of photographs of people's homes were displayed on the King Harry Ferry as part of an art initiative in partnership with the University College Falmouth (UCF).
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Artist Oliver Udy with one of his pieces from his controversial Suspected Second Homes exhibition on the King Harry Ferry. Picture: Jonathan Jacobs. Ref: 0904JJ01001
But residents raised concerns that, following a spate of burglaries on the Roseland over the past few months, the photographs would help criminals identify and target empty holiday homes.
The exhibition, entitled Suspected Second Homes, comprises a series of 40 Polaroid pictures taken over the last year of suspected second homes in Feock, Portscatho, Penwith, the Roseland and Fowey.
Roseland-based historian and writer, Chris Pollard, criticised the exhibition, saying: "We have had a number of break-ins recently on the Roseland. A lot of them have been targeting second homes. Having photos on the King Harry Ferry saying 'this is what a holiday home looks like' is a bit insensitive."
Mr Pollard was also concerned about the impact on visiting tourists and second home owners who use the popular ferry service.
"People who own second homes here on the Roseland may feel they are being singled out. The ferry would have been absolutely running to capacity in the coming weeks, and to choose that subject material in the middle of the holidays is just ridiculous," he said.
The controversial display was created by photographer Oliver Udy, 26, from Penryn.
The part-time teacher at St Austell College and masters degree student at UCF said he wanted to spark serious debate about the issue of second home owners.
He said: "People who own second homes are contributing to the death of the community, although there are obviously other factors. There is no doubt that they are also pushing up the property prices.
"It would be naïve for someone who has a second home not to realise that there is a lot of anger about this."
Oliver defended the exhibition, saying that the photographs are of 'suspected' second homes, based purely on an instant aesthetic judgement.
Sgt Chris Manuell, of Truro police, said putting photographs in the public domain without the home owner's permission was not a criminal offence, but that someone who does so could leave themselves open to civil litigation for damages.
"Advertising to potential criminals that places are unoccupied can be seen as an invitation to burgle. From a crime prevention and public safety perspective, this sort of photo-journalistic essay can only be seen as foolish," he said.
The exhibition is part of Embark: Ferry Art, managed by Fotonow, which displays the work of emerging artists.
The photographs had been expected to be on board the ferry for a month, but on Monday managing director of the King Harry Ferry, Tim Light, asked for the exhibition to be taken down.
He said: "Many of our customers either have second homes here, or get their income from those homes. They are vital to the Cornish economy.
"I feel that we will have achieved the artist's aims and an important issue has been raised. But I have now asked for the photographs to be replaced with some colourful images for Easter."
5 Comments
by Adam, cornwall
Thursday, April 16 2009, 10:58AM
“The people who are complaining about this exhibition and saying it is encouraging crime or insensitive seem to be missing the point of the work. they are photos of suspected second homes based purely on their aesthetic appearance and are making the point that if the trend for second home ownership continues the whole of cornwall will end up looking as desolate and un loved as the homes in the photographs. this is an important issue for local communities as second home owners pay less tax and contribute less to the local economy than permamnent residents of rural communities. when I saw the work at no point was it made clear where any of the homes are or whether they are actually second homes or not so I can't see how it could be seen to be encouraging crime and lets be realistic about this, do you honestly believe that criminals would be using a photography exhibition on the King harry ferry of all places to choose their next victim?
heres an idea, how about the people complaining get off their sensationalist high horses for a minute or two and think realistically about the point Oliver was trying to make.”
by Mike Udy, Cornwall
Wednesday, April 15 2009, 5:20PM
“In response to J Jones, Oliver has been doing three jobs for the last two years, as well as studying for his Masters Degree, in order to pay a mortgage on a small cottage in Penryn. He started work at the age of 14 at the newsagents in Lostwithiel and has worked throughout, whilst gaining his degree.
To call him "foolish" or the instigator of a "spate of burglaries" for documenting a decline in the number of happy family homes in Cornwall, similar to that in which he himself grew up, could almost be regarded as slanderous.
Many times we have read about false or misleading newspaper articles and now we've read the best of the lot!
Olly's grandparents were burgled, not a holiday home, not photographed, just cased and then they struck.”
by J Jones, Camborne
Wednesday, April 15 2009, 8:14AM
“I would be very angry if my house had been photographed without my permission. I am not a so-called second home owner but I defend the right of people to invest their hard-earned cash as they please. No-one mentions the fact that a lot of second homes are owned by Cornish people themselves who quietly enjoy the extra income. In fact I know of several Cornish people who own quite a few extra houses for letting purposes but no-one makes an issue of that! I think most of the moaners are jealous and possibly too lazy to work and save money to buy their own property - prefering instead to live off the state.”
by David Johnson, Cornwall
Sunday, April 12 2009, 12:49PM
“The comments shown by Sgt Chris Manuell, of Truro police show why policeman should remain policeman and not but their nose into business that does not concern him.
I wonder if he has heard of the new service by google which means that each and every house in each street has been photographed and put on the internet! nobodys open to civil litigation, if he was a lawyer he would know that.”
by J Williams, Cornwall
Sunday, April 12 2009, 12:40PM
“I would like to ask Tim Ferry the Managing Director of the King Harry Ferry in what world are Second home owners Vital to the local economy?
These homes are barely lived in; the people are spending most of their money somewhere else and come down for a month or so a year. That is not vital.
Being a 'second home' by its very description can indicate the non vitalness to this.”