1. 14 JULY 2016
7
Tram B. Nham
M
ichigan and Belgium have histor-
ical and contemporary ties, but
maybe none as forward-thinking
and artistically-advanced as the upcom-
ing installation from Belgian artist Koen
Vanmechelen. The Sint-Truiden concep-
tual artist (he hails from the Belgian Lim-
burg province) continues to impact the
international biocultural diversity stage
since his appearance in the early 90s, es-
pecially with his Cosmopolitan Chicken
Project (CCP). This pioneering vision is
leading him to partner with progressive
thinkers as he seeks to incorporate an
urban-renewal initiative in Detroit.
Operation Revitalization
Vanmechelen is fresh from a trip to the
Motor City where he met with key individ-
uals in the quest to turn his foundation’s
vision into a reality. The globetrotting
Vanmechelen who began La Biomista, a
multi-disciplinary site in Genk that hous-
es his Open University of Diversity, re-
cently embarked to the Midwest to break
ground for his CCP venture. According to
Vanmechelen’s team,
“The Open University of Diversity is
an intellectual space unifying the artis-
tic projects of Koen Vanmechelen and a
place where science and art intersect. It
serves as a think tank and meeting place
for people to discuss the core themes
relating to biocultural diversity which
are found in the artist’s work. It is also
the hub from which Koen Vanmechelen
launches his five most known projects;
The Walking Egg, CosmoGolem, The
Cosmopolitan Chicken Research Project,
Mouth and Combat.”
Detroit decline is well-documented.
Yet, aspirants towards a prosperous De-
troit are joining hands with Koen to es-
tablish an innovative installment of his
Open University of Difference (OpUnDi)
in downtown Detroit. Vanmechelen al-
ready has plans.
Among his many groundbreaking
works, the Cosmopolitan Chicken Proj-
ect, started in 1999, stands out as a world-
acclaimed artistic crossbreeding project,
in which the artist crossbreeds chicken
breeds from different countries. The ulti-
mate result of the CCP is the creation of a
truly Cosmopolitan Chicken, carrying the
genes of all the world’s chicken breeds.
Historically, starting from the Red Jungle
fowl, the original chicken that lives at the
feet of the Himalayas and had been taken
all over the world, “national species”
of chicken were created. Vanmechelen
found, after so many years of crossbreed-
ing these national species, that each suc-
cessive generation of hybrids “is more
resilient, lives longer, is less susceptible
to diseases and exhibits less aggressive
behavior.” Biocultural diversity is proved
to be crucial, and the CCP transcends the
interplay of art, science and beauty.
This September, Vanmechelen is open-
ing his own exhibition in the Wasserman
Projects, a contemporary art gallery in
Detroit’s Eastern Market district, where
he will be introducing the 20th genera-
tion of the CCP, a crossing between the
Detroit-based Wyandotte chicken and the
Mechelse Cemani, the CCP’s 19th gener-
ation. On this very occasion, he and his
team will also be communicating about
OpUndi, the CCP and the Planetary Com-
munity Chicken project.
Planetary Community Chicken (PCC)
crossbreeds the newest generation of
Vanmechelen’s Cosmopolitan Chicken
with common chicken species. These
modern poultry flocks have become ge-
netically impoverished due to industrial
farming and are more susceptible to dis-
eases, stress and physiological problems.
By bringing in the CCP, the chickens ab-
sorb the genetic pool of the CCP’s roost-
ers, creating offsprings of vital chickens
that can provide the host community
with eggs and meat. While the Cosmo-
politan Chicken Project as a whole is an
PHOTOSCOURTESYOFK.VANMECHELEN
Improve Your Health
Baetens
Chiropractic
19416 10 Mile Road
(10 Mile Road & I-94)
Eastpointe, MI 48021
Tel. (586) 774-7920
Urban Renewal from Genk to Detroit
URBAN RENEWAL
continued on page 22
Above: La Biomista which houses Open University of Diversity in Genk.
Left: Conceptual Artist Koen Vanmechelen traveled to Detroit to incorporate an
urban renewal initiative.