Ghent's Lands

Disregarded, but not disowned. Even today, a number of cities still own swathes of agricultural land, often well away from the city. This intriguing legacy dates back to the Middle Ages, when cities grew, prospered and only managed to alleviate their hunger by extending their food chain.

Ghent is one of those cities endowed with an extensive agricultural legacy, cycling distance from the centre and with outlying land as far afield as West Flanders and Zeelandic Flanders. The ‘Ghent's Lands’ exhibition at STAM delves into the history of that land, from medieval aristocratic families, monasteries, abbeys and hospitals for the poor to public centres for social welfare (OCMWs / PCSW) and modern-day towns and cities. The field has been thoroughly mapped.

‘Ghent's Lands’ encourages us to think about the relationship between city and countryside and about the supply chain from farm to fork. Urban agricultural patrimony, not a contradiction in terms, but an age-old alliance. With what future?

STAM is working on this special exhibition with the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO) and the Province of East Flanders.