Mining Building of Waterschei, Genk (BE), exhibition venue for Manifesta 9; photo by Kristof Vrancken

Written by Henri Julien Sandront

For the past 16 years Manifesta has been an audacious contemporary art biennale. One of its core feature being its constant nomadic state, Manifesta has settled in almost-forgotten regions of Europe, using locality as its primary color to construct the layers of the curatorial concept of large art exhibitions. Before all, Manifesta starts as a sort of Olympic Games bid. In the hope of a ‘Bilbao Effect’, cities and regions across Europe issue a proposal to the team of international jury members. This year, it is the Belgian city of Genk (Limburg) and its history-loaded mining industry past that was selected to be the host of Manifesta 9 until 30 September 2012.

photo by Kristof Vrancken, © Manifesta Foundation

Manifesta certainly does not have the “bling-bling” effect of its Venetian counterpart. And this can come as a relief. This edition, sheltered in a awe-inspiring former coal-mining complex takes the form of a multi-level dialogue between artists, curators and building as well as between the historical, geographical and social realities of the host-region.

Rossella Biscotti, “The Task of the Community” (2012). Photo by Wilfried Metten

Manifesta 9 has been divided in three components: Poetics of Restructuring (Contemporary), The Age of Coal (Historical) and 17 Tons (Heritage). The concept of production, whether artistic or industrial, and/or both, lies at the center of Manifesta 9. While some might find it too “literal”, one can appreciate how the curatorial team successfully put together artists, history, heritage and venue in a communicative dynamic in such a way that the old and seemingly decaying mining building was used beyond its brick-and-mortar aesthetic value. 

Mining Building and Mining Site of Waterschei, Genk, Belgium, photo by Kristof Vrancken, © Manifesta Foundation

Manifesta 9: June 2 – September 30 2012
Former coalmine of Waterschei-Genk, Belgium.
Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 – 19:00. Friday 10:00 – 22:00

The Machine, C-Mine Genk. Photo by Kristof Vrancken.

Make sure to check out the parallel events such as the design exhibition The Machine at C-Mine Genk.