At the initiative of Z33 House for Contemporary Art and the Province of Limburg, Manifesta 9 biennial of contemporary art was organized in Belgium on 2 June–30 September 2012.
Manifesta 9, organized at the site of the former Waterschei Mine in Genk in Limburg region in Belgium, not only presents an international, industry-leading selection of contemporary art. The exhibition also consists of an impressive collection of historical works and will display the rich mining heritage in a surprising and innovative way to both local and international audiences.
Curator of Manifesta 9, Cuauhtémoc Medina (Mexico City, Mexico) addresses the social and societal impact of the recent past in Limburg. The exhibition ‘The Deep of the Modern’ is presented as a triptych. For the exhibition, 35 international contemporary artists are invited to create new work, paying heed to regional context and linking the local theme with global issues. The art historical section provides an overview of works of art from the 19th and 20th Centuries, with the impact of the coal industry as their subject. The third section focuses on the extensive legacy that the Limburg mining industry has left behind.