In the Belly of the City
Performance Algae Diplomacy by Filip Van Dingenen and Hélène Meyer at In the Belly of the City, Brussels
11/10 – 13/10/2024
Performance 12 October, 15-17h
In the Belly of the City is an artistic platform and a call to action to reconsider our food systems and the interdependencies that shape them. Realized by artist collective Futurefarmers during a residency hosted by GLUON, this project transforms the Brussels-Charleroi canal into a conduit for system change. As a functioning transport vessel, it moves food from a network of peasant farmers in the hinterland of Brussels (Pajottenland) into the belly of the European Capital city of Brussels, it brings small-scale, local farmers into contact with the global flow of goods and foreign trade.
Amidst the already present theater of the canal, a rassemblement of farmers, seeds, artists, soil, the canal, poets, electromagnetic frequencies, solar energy, architects and techno-disobedients form the scene of a series of actions. Moving upon an unconventional, wooden canal boat in intimate relation, this constellation enables new imaginaries – through a slow, reflective process of repair, resilience and reflection on our habits of agri-cultural production.
In the Belly… is shifting local food transport from diesel trucks to water transport, using the existing infrastructure of the Brussels-Charleroi canal. Tijs Boelens, lead farmer at Degroentelaar farm, coordinates produce from twelve farms to be transported from Halle to Brussels twice per week. Once in the city, the food is sorted, packed and delivered by bike, making its way to cooperative stores and collective kitchens.
The first season kicks off at the I Love Science Festival by Innoviris in Brussels from October 11-13, featuring a program of food deliveries, workshops, performances, artworks, and debates. The platform will connect cultural and artistic production with local food systems, bringing these themes to the forefront of the festival.
Programme 12 October
12:00 – 13:00 Procession “A Movement with Apples” by Futurefarmers
15:00 – 17:00 Performance Algae Diplomacy by Filip Van Dingenen and Hélène Meyer
15:00 – 17:00 Film screening O Horizon by The Otolith Group
17:30 – 19:30 Film screening An Island & One Night by Pirates des Lentillère
Find the full program at Gluon
A project by Futurefarmers x GLUON. This project was commissioned by GLUON. In partnership with Innoviris, Good Food Brussels, VUB, EIT Food, and UGhent. This project has received funding from Innoviris, the National Lotery and S+T+ARTS(Science, Technology & the Arts), an initiative of the European Commission, launched under the Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. Its purpose is to support collaborations between artists, scientists, engineers and researchers to develop more creative, inclusive and sustainable technologies
Practical
Akenkaai 1 / Quai de péniches 1
1000 Brussels