2025 is a celebratory year for artist Koen Vanmechelen, marking both his 60th birthday and the 30th generation of the Cosmopolitan Chicken Project. To honor these two significant milestones, MOUTH Foundation launches a unique beer titled Wild Gene. According to Philip Remans, founder of MOUTH, the wild gene is the unexpected, the spark that has the power to set something in motion.
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.
From this February, Koen Vanmechelen’s participation in last year’s Venice Biennale will have a successful sequel. At the Biennale, the Belgian artist had been invited to showcase two works of art at different locations, but connected to each other. One of those sculptures is now installed at Marco Polo Airport, where it will be on display for a year. The second sculpture remains in the Giardini. This will ensure both works have an unprecedented level of visibility for a global audience.
The Belgian coastal municipality of Middelkerke is unveiling ‘Seduction’, an impressive sculpture by artist Koen Vanmechelen. The sculpture, inspired by the mythical Minotaur, welcomes visitors in the entrance hall of the brand new landmark ‘Silt’, which has played a crucial role in the heart of the municipality since its opening. To strengthen that role, Middelkerke is s committed to the connecting and symbolic power of art. With Vanmechelen's hybrid artwork, half man and half bull, the artist's symbolism and philosophy will have a permanent place in the Silt: an ongoing dialogue between nature and culture, instinct and reason.
Koen Vanmechelen has teamed up with supermarket chain ALDI for an exclusive art project. This Saturday, December 7, a work of art by Vanmechelen will be available for purchase at ALDI stores. It is a reproduction of a drawing the artist created specifically for ALDI. The piece, titled Cosmogolem, Giant of Hope, will be sold for €24.99. Moreover, this project supports several charitable causes.
Are you full of wild plans and creative ideas? Do you want to contribute to a sustainable future? Do you want to make a difference for yourself and other young people? With an eye on the world and a heart for your community? Become a YOUCA Community Connector, or CoCo for short!
