Koen Vanmechelen’s lecture is in collaboration with Kunsthall 3,14, where he will open his solo exhibition on September 13th.

Koen Vanmechelen (Belgium, 1965) is an internationally renowned conceptual artist. Biocultural diversity is central to his work. Over the past 10 years, Vanmechelen has worked on this theme together with scientists from a broad range of disciplines. These boundary-defying projects have earned him an honorary doctorate from Hasselt University (2010) and the Golden Nica Hybrid Art (2013).

Vanmechelen is best known for his ‘Cosmopolitan Chicken Project’ (CCP), a unique artistic project which he launched in the late 1990s. The focus of this project is the chicken – more specifically, the crossing of national chicken breeds to create ‘Cosmopolitan Chickens’. This year, the 29th generation of this global project will hatch in Bergen: the Mechelse Jær, with genes from Belgium, France, England, America, Germany, the Netherlands, Mexico, Thailand, Brazil, Turkey, Cuba, Italy, Russia, China, Egypt, Senegal, Slovenia, Austria, Indonesia, Detroit, Denmark, Finland, Vatican City, Chile, Croatia, Israel, Iceland, Bangladesh and Norway. The project put Vanmechelen on the world map, both in the art world and beyond. The essence of the project is not the chicken, nor the egg; but the cross-breeding process itself and the diversity that ensues.

That same diversity also characterises the other animal species, farms, projects and foundations that together make up the artist’s work. As a modern Uomo Universale, Vanmechelen fuses art, nature and knowledge, reaching out to anyone and anything that can help him to break boundaries on his journey. He records the results of his experiments in every conceivable medium: from highly expressive paintings and drawings to photography, performances, sculptures, video, innovative 3D techniques, glassware, (living) installations, and also practical interventions in communities and science. In the midst of society, among the people, these works point the way to new insights; to a Cosmopolitan Renaissance.

The intrinsic philosophical system the artist thus developed is not only translated in his work but is also often the subject of debates, discussions and lectures by the artist. During these lectures, the artist introduces the listener to a world characterised by a symbiosis between art, science, philosophy, politics and ethics. A new way of reflecting on existential questions and on contemporary issues that relate to, among others, diversity, globalisation, racism, genetic modification and cloning. He was invited to address the World Economic Forum (2008), World Expo in Shanghai, Biennial of Venice, the Climate Change Congress, the Creativity world Forum and various TED conferences.

The lecture is held at Knut Knaus Auditorium, Møllendalsveien 61. The location has step free access. The lecture is held in English and is free and open to all.

Monday Lectures is a public platform combining invited guest lecturers and professors and researchers of the faculty art KMD. Monday Lectures aim to create a diverse programme of lectures exploring a wide range of disciplines and research topics. Lectures typically take place on Monday at 10:00 at the Knut Knaus Auditorium and are free and open to all.

Photo credits: Koen Vanmechelen