How to visit and what to see in LABIOMISTA (Genk, Belgium): schedules, prices

There are many people for whom, when taking a trip, the cultural aspect occupies a very prominent aspect.

Visiting the heritage sites and museums of a destination comes to satisfy this concern, but sometimes a specific cultural visit can become the main attraction for traveling to a destination.

That is the case when you are a passionate follower of a specific artist, as for example happens with the visits you can make to the Costa Brava around the figure of the brilliant Dalí.

And the same thing happens with, without a doubt, another genius, such as Koen Vanmechelen, Belgian artist with more than 50 exhibitions each year around the world, regular guest at large artistic events such as the Venice Biennale.

It was recently inaugurated LABIOMIST in the city of Genk, in the region of Flanders northeast of Belgium, a park that extends over 24 hectares occupied by a artistic installation based on biodiversity and where the Belgian artist has his work studio.

Who is Koen Vanmechelen?

But who is Koen Vanmechelen?

Popularly known in Belgium as the chicken artist, is a multidisciplinary artist whose work is a continuous conceptual development that mixes various artistic specialties with science, specifically, biology.

He achieved worldwide fame in the late 90s with the launch of the Cosmopolitan Chicken Project CCP, a mix of artistic and scientific project that has aroused the interest of the scientific community.

The key to this project is the verification of the advantages that mixing breeds produces in chickens, with greater fertility and immunity.

Nowadays Vanmechelen has several underway scientific projects that deepen the development of the biodiversity.

In its artistic aspect, the work of Vanmechelen It is also a mix of the most diverse artistic specialties, such as painting, drawings, sculpture, photography, video and installations.

And a third aspect to highlight about the figure of Koen Vanmechelen It is its great social commitment, with, for example, constant support for local communities.

The various projects in which he is involved in various places around the world range from children's rights to sustainability, and several of them are integrated into the institute known as the Open University of Diversity.

What is LABIOMIST?

In our recent trip to the Belgian region of Flanders We had the opportunity to discover the entire conceptual world that the figure of Vanmechelen during the visit of the aforementioned LABIOMIST, a mix of a park where you can walk among artistic installations, and a zoo where you can see various animals.

And precisely in the origin of LABIOMIST is the zoo that occupied said urban park from 1970 to 1997.

Beforehand you should know that the small town of Genk It is located in the Flemish province of Limburg, adjacent to the Belgian region, Wallonia, and Holland.

The history of this region is marked by the discovery of coal reserves at the beginning of the 20th century, which resulted in the opening of three mining facilities, one of which was located in the place where you can now see the park. LABIOMIST.

Specifically the Zwartberg coal mine  It opened in 1925 and mining activity continued until 1966.

The tower and its facilities were demolished and the place was sold to a family that in 1970 opened a zoo without any public or private support, a project driven by their love of animals.

But the zoo finally closed its doors in 1997, and after a period of abandonment, the original park project has now been launched in said park. LABIOMIST, the result of collaboration between Vanmechelen and the Genk town hall, whose first works were carried out in 2015.

What to see when visiting LABIOMISTA

A LABIOMIST You will enter through the building known as The ark, designed by the Swiss architect Mario Botta, built with black stone in homage to the mining past of this place Genk,

Its design will remind you of the prow of a large ship, perhaps emulating the great ark where the various animal species were sheltered.

As soon as you enter you will find the building Villa OpUnDi, which was built in 1925 as the residence of the director of the coal mine, and where the family that owned the zoo also resided.

Currently you find several rooms on two floors where various works of art are exhibited. Vanmechelen.

Nearby is the building The Battery, which houses the Belgian artist's current work studio, where you can see several artistic works as well as a large glass birdhouse.

From there your visit will be a walk along a two-kilometer circular path that runs through the entire surface of the park, and where you will find the central axes of the work of Vanmechelen, nature, animals and art.

Indeed, during the walk through this natural space you will pass by various artistic installations, up to a total of 28.

But you will also find various enclosures where species of animals that are peculiar to Europe are preserved, such as camels, alpacas or rheas, and where of course there is no shortage of chickens.

From the artistic point of view, the heart of the LABIOMIST is the work known as CosmoGolem.

LABIOMISTA visit hours

Opened to the public on July 5, with up to 5.000 visitors, the LABIOMISTA visiting hours They are, from April to October, from Tuesday to Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 17 p.m., closed on Mondays.

The ticket prices to visit LABIOMISTA The general price is 8 euros, and children under 18 are free.

LABIOMISTA Photos

Here you have more photos of the LABIOMISTA park that you can visit in the city of Genk, in Belgium.