Emscherkunst 2016 / Zollverein

In July 2014 The City of Aalst and Netwerk were officially selected as one of the five principals for, Art in Commission – More than an Object, a special initiative of the Flemish Government, with a focus on the role that art can play in the context of urban renewal and change. For the realisation of the artistic commission project in Aalst, the Rotterdam artists’ collective, Observatorium, have been chosen. In the course of 2016 their artwork will be carried out.

This summer the 3rd edition of the Triennial Emscherkunst takes place in the Ruhr region of Germany. The artists’ collective, Observatorium, is an integral part of the event with their mobile bridge, Warten auf den Fluss that transforms technical landscapes into contemplative locations. In the bridge’s pavilions are equipped with restrooms, sleeping quarters and a kitchen.

Not far away is the Zollverein, “the most beautiful mine in the world,” a surprisingly versatile part of Unesco World Heritage in Essen. The landscape architects Planergruppe Oberhausen, in conjunction with Observatorium, drafted the concept of Zollverein Park, where roads, parking lots and rest areas were incorporated into a jungle of spontaneous vegetation. Observatorium has created five entrance pavilions for the World Heritage site and is working on a book about the Zollverein Park and a book on the “normal” Ruhr region.

Between the 22th and 24th of August, Netwerk takes this opportunity to organise a bus trip to both the triennial as well as to the Zollverein.