The Clean Blue of Linen | Yvette Monahan

The Clean Blue of Linen is a new photography project by Yvette Monahan, documenting the role of chemical-free flax from Mallon Farm in County Tyrone in local supply chains. Commissioned by We Feed The UK and exhibited at Belfast Exposed from 6 February to 22 March 2025, Yvette’s work forms part of a national storytelling campaign connecting photographers and poets with our most inspiring food producers, seeking to raise public awareness of positive solutions to climate change, wildlife recovery and social justice.

At the heart of The Clean Blue of Linen is the remarkable story of Mallon Farm in County Tyrone where flax farmers Helen Keys and Charlie Mallon are reviving chemical-free flax farming as part of a diverse, sustainable agricultural model. Their efforts breathe new life into Northern Ireland’s once world-renowned linen heritage, but their work is not solely a nod to heritage. It has been rejuvenating soil, waterways and wildlife as part of a shared endeavour to strengthen resilience in the Northern Irish food and farming system.

Growing a variety of crops as part of a rotation strengthens farmers’ resilience against ever-changing conditions, which has become more vital than ever in recent years. Farming for a diversity of needs, from food to fibre, even protected historic flax producers from the devastation of the potato famine.

Helen Keys said: “We started out because Irish linen was such a big piece of the heritage here, but we realised early on that the interest from people wasn’t just about the heritage but the fact that it was locally produced, sustainably produced, and could be part of a beneficial farming industry.”

Yvette Monahan’s evocative photography, commissioned by We Feed The UK, captures the beauty and significance of their work, showing how flax farming nurtures both the land and local communities.

Yvette reflects: “The most vital lesson from this project has been the undeniable power of personal passion in creating change. Helen and Charlie have transformed the land from a dairy farm into a biodiverse flax, food, and wildlife ecosystem. They have inspired a new generation of artists, designers, and makers and instilled in them a deep appreciation for flax as a natural resource, giving us hope for a sustainable future.”

Complementing the images is ‘The Opposite of Apocalypse’, a new poem by acclaimed Irish writer Abby Oliveira; an ode to flax farming’s potential to unite local communities and redefine what good farming looks like.

Growing a variety of crops as part of a rotation strengthens farmers’ resilience against ever-changing conditions, which has become more vital than ever in recent years. Farming for a diversity of needs, from food to fibre, even protected historic flax producers from the devastation of the potato famine.

The exhibition is also set to be featured in the Northern Ireland Science Festival, taking place between 12 – 23 February 2025.

KEY DATES

• Exhibition launch: Thursday 6 February 2025 as part of Late Night Art Belfast, featuring new live poetry from renowned Irish writer, Abby Oliveira
• Panel discussion: Saturday 8 February 2025 at 2pm, featuring flax farmers Helen Keys and Charlie Mallon of Mallon Farm, Kerry Melville from Nourish NI and co-chair of Belfast Sustainable Food Partnership, Gawain Morrison.
• Live Action Linen: Friday 14 February at 10am and 2pm, a unique and interactive NI Science Festival event. See the linen making process will be brought to life as farmers and textile makers come together to process flax plants right through to textile stage.

Acknowledgements

We Feed The UK is a national storytelling campaign pairing award-winning photographers and poets with our most inspiring food producers. Grown by The Gaia Foundation with more than 40 partners from the arts and environment sectors, this unprecedented alliance is opening eyes and ears to the food system’s potential to positively impact our climate, wildlife, communities and earth connection. So far, the message has reached over 53 million people on their pathway from consumer to custodian.

This story – one of 10 exhibited across the UK through to spring 2025 – focuses on how growing flax for fibre can form part of a productive and sustainable food system; reflecting on past traditions to feed the future of profitable nature-friendly farming. Others explore Black-led growing, mental health, women in agriculture and climate change.

“71% of the UK is farmland. The potential for this to become the place where we support biodiversity, sequester carbon and address so many of the other problems we are facing is enormous. The arts have the power to speak to the heart. Apathy is such a big barrier, and hope activates.” Co-Director of The Gaia Foundation, Rowan Phillimore on BBC Radio 4’s Food Programme: listen here

Ten acclaimed photographers are nurturing close relationships with their subjects, shooting throughout the seasons. Their work, exhibited nationwide, ranges from experiments with bread by Magnum’s Lúa Ribeira, to a 12-month study on sustainable fishing by photographer Jon Tonks.

Spoken word artists, from award-winning organisation Hot Poets, have crafted a collection of ten poems in a diversity of languages and regional dialects. This includes a celebration of hedgerows by beatboxing champion Testament, and grain rebels by legendary poet-singer Dizraeli.

Arts partners including the Martin Parr Foundation, Royal Photographic Society and Belfast Exposed are hosting exhibitions and events until April 2025. Environment partners including Sustain, Landworkers’ Alliance and Nature Friendly Farming Network are directing citizens and farmers to local actions they can take in support of the movement.

The Gaia Foundation has 40 years of experience accompanying Earth’s best custodians to revive biocultural diversity. With allies from the Atlantic to the Arctic, Africa to the Amazon, they take a holistic approach to regenerating ecosystems, strengthening community self-governance, and restoring a respectful relationship with the Earth.

Nourish NI is a charity supporting dramatic changes to make healthy and sustainable food a defining characteristic of Northern Ireland. They partner with local food producers pioneering sustainable methods that promote human health and the health of the planet.