Since its start in 1996, Manifesta has taken place in Rotterdam, Luxembourg, Ljubljana, Frankfurt, Donostia-San Sebastian, Trentino-Alto Adige and Murcia. For this reason, Manifesta is considered at this time the only itinerant european biennial of contemporary art.
After yesterday's preview Manifesta 9 opens today to the public at the spectacular site of the former Waterschei mine in Genk, Limburg, Belgium.
This year's edition entitled The Deep of the Modern, is curated by Cuauhtémoc Medina (Mexico City), who developed the concept for Manifesta 9, and associated curators Dawn Ades (London) and Katherina Gregos (Brussels/Athens). This exhibition is presented in three sections that as a whole, providing not only a comprehensive perspective of the social impact caused by the mining industry in Limburg, but also of global issues and influences in socities caused by the mining industry.
The first section (Poetics of Restructuring) shows works created by 35 international contemporary artists who were invited to convey the connection between the local theme and global issues while focusing on the regional context. At the historical section (The Age of Coal), works of art from the 19th and 20th centuries, representative of the coal industry, offer an overview of the impact of the coal industry. The third section (17 Tons) focuses on the extensive legacy and repercussions that the Limburg mining industry has left behind.
With the concept developed for the 2012 edition, Manifesta 9 not only brings to the public a world representative selection of contemporay art, but also a remarkable collection of historical works and an innovative and surprising way to show the mining heritage to local and international audiences.
In its programme, Manifesta includes guided tours, family and educational events, lectures, performances, a worshop and a symposium.
As a recurring initiative in all Manifesta editions, cultural projects take place during the same period of the biennial. The Parallel Events programme offers a communication platform for local individual artists, interdisciplinary cultural producers, art organizations and institutions, to present their art and cultural initiatives to an international audience.
This year, the Parallel Events are being organized in the Region of Belgium Limburg, Dutch Limburg, Wallonia and others parts of Flanders.
Manifesta 9 takes place until September 30, 2012
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