Labiomista

LABIOMISTA is a unique project vested on the foundations of the mining past and the former zoo of Zwartberg (Genk). It transports you into the vision of artist Koen Vanmechelen and his life's work in terms of identity, fertility & biocultural diversity. They call it "a garden of order and chaos, an arena of culture and nature, Vanmechelen's wonder lab".

The 24-hectare park acts as an open-air exhibition with many of Vanmechelen's (living) artworks and installations. There are different buildings on the site. Such as Vanmechelen's studio ('The Battery') with an enormous eagle cage on the roof, the beautifully restored director's residence of the former mine and later zoo ('The Villa') and an eye-catching entrance building called 'The Ark'.

The park area contains three animal compartments of more than 9,000 m², three ponds and a walking path. The animals in the park play an essential role in Koen Vanmechelen's work. In addition to its well-known chicken species, LABIOMISTA also houses llamas, emus, dromedaries, ostriches, alpacas and rhea.

We highly recommend seeing everything with your own eyes. It's a fun and inspiring visit. To know more visit their website.