A GLOBAL photographic exhibition featuring the smallholder farmers and fisherfolk who feed the world has opened its doors across two Frome arts venues.
We Feed the World is on display at brand-new art space, the Gallery at The Station, alongside the well-known Whittox Gallery until 10th September. Talks from authors Alex Laird and Chris Smaje plus local farmer and rewilder Ben Goldsmith will be bringing the exhibitions themes to life.
The exhibition marks the first public display since visitors on London’s Southbank enjoyed a ten-day exhibition in Autumn 2018.
Rowan Phillimore, Dep-uty Director of The Gaia Foundation who produced We Feed the World said, “Over three years, 47 award winning photographers from around the world gave their time to document the lives of 50 farming communities across six continents. World-renowned photographers including Graciella Iturbide, Nick Ballon, Rankin, Rena Effendi, Tina Hillier and Omar Victor Diop are included in the works, which features over 300 images and inspirational stories from farming and fishing communities.
“This powerful collection of work challenges the myth that we need industrial agriculture and quick-fix technologies to feed the world, and to share the moving stories of the small-scale farmers who produce over 70% of the world’s food whilst sequestering carbon, improving soil fertility and working with, not against nature.”
We Feed the World is the inaugural exhibition for the Gallery at The Station.
Frome-based photographer Tom Hull who co-owns the new venue said, “We’re incredibly excited to have We Feed the World as our opening exhibition this summer. Everyone needs a dose of culture after the pandemic and this is such an enormous body of work featuring incredible stories of farming around the world, by some of the most admired photographers alive today. It’s a critical time to be discussing how we feed the world and this exhibition provides extensive examples of the irrefutable value of small-scale, diversity rich agriculture.”
The Whittox Gallery, located in the heights of RISE, a community culture and lifestyle venue in a former church, is curated by Sarah Robson and owned by Ed Roberts and Io Fox. Sarah said, “We Feed the World is our first exhibition since 2019 and is a chance to celebrate our re-opening with an issue that is very close to people’s hearts here in Frome, and increasingly across the world.
“The pandemic has revived appreciation for sustainably sourced local food and local producers, and with the Rye Bakery in residence with us here at RISE, it feels a perfect collaborative exhibition to celebrate new beginnings and community.”
To celebrate the exhibition in Frome and to draw out discussion around the future of food and farming a series of talks, events and farm tours will run throughout August and September. Highlights include Alex Laird, author of Root to Stem, Chris Smaje, author of A Small Farm Future, and Ben Goldsmith, chair of Rewilding Britain.
Rowan Phillimore said, “With the release of the IPCC report this month and with extreme weather events occurring daily around the world, there has never been greater urgency to convene spaces in which local solutions can be discussed. The talks address issues of climate, adaptation, health and access through the food and farming lens. This is a rare chance to hear some of the UK’s leading authorities on food justice, nutrition and rewilding in Frome and we hope that people can join us for these events.”
We Feed the World runs until Friday 10th September at the Gallery at The Station and the Whittox Gallery, Frome. www.wefeedtheworld.org