GENK – On 5 April 2025, LABIOMISTA opens its gates for its seventh season. With this year’s theme, Wild Gene, the 24-hectare artwork by Koen Vanmechelen, in collaboration with the City of Genk, shines a spotlight on what truly makes the park exceptional: the power of the untamed. Vanmechelen states: “In a world yearning for creativity and hope, the wild gene is what keeps us adaptable and connects us in our search for new, sustainable solutions. It is the inner force that creates space for both personal freedom and collective respect.”
Opening weekend
“For the seventh season, we are sharpening all senses for a year of renewal and transformation,” says the artist. “With a grand opening weekend that kicks off 2025, a year of celebration.” This year marks two important milestones: the 30th generation of the Cosmopolitan Chicken Project and Vanmechelen’s 60th birthday.
On Saturday 5 April, visitors can experience the magic of the park at dusk during a special Nocturne. In collaboration with B-Classic, Wild Gene Collective will present a unique, one-off concert featuring classical vocals, rap, piano, and percussion. Additionally, the MOUTH Foundation (that is, the Museum of Understanding, Trust, and Humanity) will offer a special toast. To honour this festive year, the foundation has brewed a custom beer as a tribute to the artist’s life’s work. “For over 30 years, Koen has brought people together through his work, challenging them to reflect and take collective action. What better way to celebrate this than with a beer? Wild Gene – a discovery born of chance, necessity, and curiosity. Simple yet refined. A fusion of nature, science, and culture, but above all, a story of connection,” says Philip Remans, founder of MOUTH. The festive weekend will conclude with an Open Studio on Sunday 6 April.
Wim Dries, Mayor of Genk: “Since its opening in 2019, LABIOMISTA has become a popular favourite. It is a place of innovation and connection, deeply rooted in our city. Last year, we saw an increase in the share of visitors from Genk itself. The majority of visitors, however, still come from outside the city, from across Belgium and beyond. LABIOMISTA is not only the perfect starting point for those wanting to explore Vanmechelen’s work and philosophy, but it also sets the stage for discovering Genk as a cosmopolitan city that dares to stand out! Koen is undeniably a ‘wild gene’ in our city. And LABIOMISTA is an incubator for countless new ideas, creations, projects, and collaborations.”
Konik horses and bee village
The new campaign image, showing the artist blowing into a glass egg, captures the essence of the wild gene concept. It reflects the tension between fragility and strength, chaos and creation. For Vanmechelen, the image invites reflection on the vulnerability and immense potential of life itself.
In 2025, LABIOMISTA, through its (living) artworks and projects, invites visitors to be inspired by this idea of the wild gene.New this season are the Konik horses, which – being wild grazers – will roam freely in Protected Paradise. Vanmechelen: “Joining the zebras and the tapir, they tell a story of kinship. Beyond shared DNA, these animals share an essence: they all carry the wild gene. They refuse to be tamed. Not by a name, not by a label.”
Another highlight is the expansion of ME, BEE & TREE, the colourful bee village rising behind Future Garden. This connective project exemplifies how Vanmechelen as an artist collaborates with various communities, in this case local beekeepers and schools, to build and maintain these crucial pollinators. With the addition of a third pavilion – a mushroom house – a community table, and a poem by a local resident, the site becomes a vibrant spot for rest and reflection. The front of the new house also serves as a canvas for an impressive 360° painting.
Rebellious Giants
Throughout the year, the Wild Gene theme will manifest in various activities for young and old. On 18 May, LABIOMISTA celebrates the annual Day of the Cosmogolem. With a programme of stimulating workshops and performances titled Rebelse Reuzen (Rebel Giants), children will search for the wild gene within themselves, creating delightful mayhem all over LABIOMISTA. In collaboration with various partners, several neighbourhood projects are already underway to prepare for this unique family day. Vanmechelen: “We challenge kids to show their most mischievous and creative side. Their wild gene keeps us flexible and hopeful for whatever lies ahead.”
LaVieBreede
LABIOMISTA continues its commitment to community projects that foster connection and creativity in the neighbourhood. Inspired by the Wild Gene theme and LaVieBreede – Vanmechelen’s artistic vision for Genk North – new initiatives are being developed with local communities. The OpUnDi Genk learning ecosystem, supported by Europe WSE, continues to create accessible, unconventional, and experimental learning experiences on and around the site.
Wim Dries: “As a grid city, Genk lacks a historic core, but it is rich in stories and diversity, with vibrant neighborhoods surrounded by greenery. Over the years, the city has invested heavily in the development of its sites, and our neighbourhoods – along with the people who bring them to life – are an inseparable part of that. Through LaVieBreede and initiatives such as The Unthinkable Experiment, Nomadland, and the colourful facades on Koning Boudewijnlaan, we continue to build a city where the wild gene guides us. That is something we’ll keep investing in for years to come.
Collective respect
Wild Gene underscores that change often begins with quiet, organic growth. Vanmechelen: “Like an egg slowly coming to life, the wild gene that is woven into our DNA develops little by little. It requires patience, love, and space to grow at its own pace.” Vanmechelen has been nurturing the idea of a wild gene for years. It’s a
concept that also inspired the eponymous 2020 film about him. “Too much order leads to stagnation. The wild gene creates disorder, acting as a source of growth and innovation. We need the unpredictability of wildness to stay adaptable and embrace change. The wild gene teaches us that the key to freedom lies in the unknown. It calls on us to preserve our inner freedom and, from there, to build bridges to others.”