Texture preserves a unique collection that highlights the rich craftsmanship and entrepreneurship surrounding flax and textiles in the Leie region. Thanks to the Golden River, the region grew into a global player in flax processing and trade. Our collection tells this story from past to future and includes not only special objects, but also valuable audiovisual material: photographs, films, testimonials and interviews.
A fascinating audiovisual collection
Our audiovisual treasure is stored in the Trezoor heritage repository and has grown over the years thanks to donations and various projects. You will find photographs, postcards, slides, glass negatives, films and audio clips that provide a unique insight into the flax and textile industry.
In the coming years, we want to make this collection increasingly visible and available for research and creative projects. We are starting with the photo and postcard collection, which has recently been fully digitised in high resolution and thoroughly analysed. The collection offers a rich picture of the history of flax: machines, companies, people working in the fields and portraits, with a special focus on clothing.
Although basic data has already been added, much information is still missing. Descriptions are not always complete or uniform, making some images difficult to find. This is where you can make a difference: by completing and standardising the descriptions, you will help make these images easier to find and bring the stories behind the photos to life.
Your help makes a difference
These images add personality, colour and context to our collection and are becoming increasingly important in our collection policy. Unfortunately, crucial data is often missing, which means they remain underexposed. We want to change that, and you can help! Now that the photo and postcard collection has been fully digitised, we can add more specific information: who took the picture, what can be seen in it, when it was taken, and more.
Are you someone who works accurately and systematically and enjoys working with computers? Then you might be the volunteer we are looking for! No prior knowledge is required, just a desire to help and an eye for detail.
Interested? Feel free to contact us at lisa.tijtgat@kortrijk.be. We look forward to working with you to enrich this collection and make it more accessible!