LAb[au], laboratory for art and urbanism
is an artist group founded in 1997 by
Manuel Abendroth and Jérôme Decock
Their label involved artists such as Els Vermang (2003–2022) or, for specific projects, Thibaut Drouillon. In their practice, the artists of LAb[au] investigate the relationship between art and language through written words and other forms of coded language—semantics and signs—semiotics. Likewise, they take a linguistic approach, employing information and communication science in the field of art. Likewise, LAb[au] considers art as an epistemology conducted through a linguistic approach.
Many of LAb[au]’s works originate from specific definitions proper to the field of Art, such as ”the monochrome.” This leads them to question the limits of language, as the meaning of the monochrome, the fascination of the void, is not described in its definition but can be apprehended only through a wider understanding of art. In this way, they address the tradition of painting through terminology while contextualising it in its cultural perspective.
Any language can be transcoded into secondary media: colours, shapes, patterns, etc., which form their visual language. LAb[au] utilises these different media while speaking of syntax, grammar, and vocabulary. In their practice, the encyclopaedia, the dictionary, the archive, and so on became important forms of expression. Like a lexicographer, LAb[au] deploys arrays of books, exploring the infinite combinations of shapes and indexing all possible ways to fill an empty white page, etc. Consequently, since 2016, the library, as an artistic investigation and achievement, has moved increasingly into their focus. LAb[au] is currently working on different types: 1, the library of time; 2, the library of possible and probable; and 3, the library of the language of colours.
The practice of LAb[au] is rooted in the tradition of conceptual art, where tautologies and fundamental units such as space and time constitute the artistic vocabulary. Thus, their rule-based approach questions the materiality, process, and concept of art. Using algorithms, the artists contextualise these notions in our contemporary world.
LAb[au] presented their work in renowned institutions such as:
Botanique Brussels (2024), Kunstmuseum Heidenheim (2023), KIASME Helsinki (2020), Casino Luxembourg Forum d’art contemporain (2020), Kunsthal Rotterdam (2019), MAAT Lisbon (2018), Museum M Leuven (2017), ZKM Karlsruhe (2016), Musée d’Art Contemporain Montreal (2015), Bozar Brussels (2014), MOMA New York (2014), Centquatre Paris (2014), Biennale di Venezia Venice (2013), Singapore Art Museum (2014), Seoul Museum of Art (2013), Centre George Pompidou Paris (2008), Witte de With Rotterdam (2006), New Museum New York (2003), Le Louvre Paris (2000), besides many others.
LAb[au] has presented its work in many renowned institutions and created many permanent public installations. Its artworks are part of public and private collections worldwide. Over the past 25 years, LAb[au] has also shown its installations at more than 150 festivals.
LAb[au] is represented by:
Dan Galeria, São Paulo
Solo exhibitions
2024 : painting, writing, calculating, transcoding – Dan Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil, 09.08. – 05.10.24
2024 : POSSIBLES | PROBABLES – Botanique, Brussels, Belgium, 29.05. – 04.08.24
2024 : FARBEN | FERNAB – Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach, Brussels, Belgium, 21.05. – 28.07.24
2022 : Zeit Zeichen, Zeichen Zeit – Kunstmuseum Heidenheim, Germany, 19.11.2022 – 26.02.2023
2020 : Ce mouvement qui déplace les lignes – Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach, Brussels, Belgium, 26.05. – 29.08.2020
2020 : yes, no: perhaps – Mario Mauroner Contemporary Art, Vienna, Austria, 18.01. – 21.03.2020
2019 : If Then Else – Casino Luxembourg Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg, 27.09. – 05.01.2020
2017 : Langage codé – Galerie Fontana, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 04.11. – 18.02.2017
2016 : Langage codé – La Patinoire/Galerie Valérie Bach, Brussels, Belgium, 01.09. – 22.10.2016
2016 : Calculations, Permutations, Notations – The Mayor Gallery/Project Space Bermondsey, London, UK, 13.01. – 31.01.2016
2015 : rouge, vert, bleu, blanc – Centre des arts d’Enghien-les-Bains, Paris, France, 09.04. – 28.06.2015
2014 : zéro | un – Galerie Denise René, Paris, France, 06.02. – 22.03.2014
2014 : writing, drawing, painting – DAM Gallery, Berlin, Germany, 31.01. – 02.04.2014
2014 : binary waves – Le Centquatre, in the context of the public art program, Paris, France, 16.02. – 23.03.2014
2011 : Tessel – Musée de Moulage, Lyon, France, 08.06. – 13.07.2011
2011 : framework f5x5x3 – Aubette, Ososphère, Strasbourg, France, 11.02. – 20.02.2011
2011 : Diffraction – TAG Institute, The Hague, The Netherlands, 07.12.2010 – 17.01.2011
2010 : m0t1v – Kunst-Station Sankt Peter, Cologne, Germany, 08.01. – 12.02.2010
2009 : time | emit – DAM Gallery, Berlin, Germany, 21.02. – 28.03.2009
2009 : fLUX – Galerie Roger Tator, Lyon, France, 23.04. – 01.07.2009
2009 : m0t1v – Galerie Numeriscausa, Paris, France, 30.04. – 06.06.2009
2008 : 16n - framework f5x5x3 - Tschumi Pavillon, Groningen, The Netherlands, 18.12.2008 – 15.02.2009
2006 : 12m4s – Pierre Pergé, Le Grand Sablon, Brussels, Belgium, 07.09. – 17.09.2006
2005 : liquid space – Le Brakke Grond, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 06.05. – 16.05.2005
2002 : eSPACE – Le Blac, Theatre Marni, Brussels, Belgium, 17.05. – 26.05.2002
2000 : iSKIN – Musée de la Mode et du Textile, Le Louvre, Paris, France, 10.10. – 29.10.2000
Documented solo shows go to: https://www.lab-au.com/soloshows
Group exhibitions (selection)
2025 : GIMME SHELTER #2, LAGE EGAL CURATORIAL PROJECTS #229, Brussels, Belgium, 23.04. – 11.05.25
2025 : Remarks on Colours – KBK Artspace, Brussels, Belgium, 22.04. – 11.05.25
2024 : Et si tout n'était que mirage ? – Erase On Kawara, Galerie Bigaignon, Paris, France, 07.12.24 – 01.02.25
2024 : US VS US – Hu Gallery, Brussels, Belgium, 07.11.24 – 06.02.25
2024 : Languages et Imaginaries – Gaité Lyrique, Paris, France, 02.09. – 06.09.24
2023 : The Seduction of the Bureaucrat – De Garage, Mechelen, Belgium, 12.03. – 04.05.2023
2023 : AXIOM#2, MAL ZEIT | ZEIT MALEN – KBK, Brussels, Belgium, 11.02. – 26.02.23
2022 : The tallest towers start off the ground – DAN Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil, 24.09. – 22.12.2022
2022 : On the Lockout – Fondation CAB, Brussels, Belgium, 06.09.2022 – 06.01.2023
2022 : PEINTURE : OBSOLESCENCE DÉPROGRAMMÉE – Hospice Saint-Roch d'Issoudun, France, 01.02 – 08.05.2022
2021 : X – FRAC des Pays de la Loire, Carquefou, France,19.05. – 02.02.2022
2021 : Mika Vainio Retrospective – KIASMA, Helsinki, Finland, 20.08.2020 – 10.01.2021
2019 : Imaging Cities – Song Eun Art Space, Seoul, South Korea, 25.03. – 08.06.2019
2019 : D’un soleil à l’autre – Base Sous-marine, Bordeaux, France, 08.03. – 19.05.2019
2019 : Action <> Reaction – Kunsthal, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 22.09.2018 – 20.01.2019
2018 : A Brave New World – MAAT, Lisbon, Portugal, 22.10. – 28.10.2018
2018 : Untitled (monochrome) – Richard Taittinger, New York, USA, 01.03. – 29.04.2018
2017 : Art Pavilion – Grand Palais World Exhibition, Astana, Kazakhstan, 10.06. – 10.09.2017
2016 : Eutopia – Museum M, Leuven, Belgium, 20.10.2016 – 17.01.2017
2016 : Terminal P – La Panacée, Montpellier, France, 17.06. – 28.08.2016
2016 : ACT – Asia Culture Centre, Gwangju, South Korea, 25.11. – 31.07.16
2016 : Digital abstraction – Haus der elektronischen Künste, Basel, Switzerland, 07.04. – 22.05.16
2016 : Exo-Evolution – ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany, 30.10. – 28.02.16
2014 : Physicality – Musée d’Art Contemporain, Montreal, Canada, 23.05. – 01.06.2014
2014 : Artist/Novelist – MOMA, New York, USA, 08.01. – 31.03.2014
2014 : Noir et Blanc – Galerie Denise René, Paris, France, 17.01. – 28.02.2014
2013 : Vasarely Hommage – Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium, 17.10. –19.01.2013
2013 : Poème Numérique – Atomium, Brussels, Belgium, 22.06. – 20.09.2013
2013 : Space Oddity – Le Grand Hornu CID, Hornu, Belgium, 18.11. – 10.03.2013
2013 : Noise – Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy, 30.05. – 20.09.2013
2012 : Artificial Garden – Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea, 04.12. – 23.12.2012
2011 : Tender Buttons – Overpoort, Ghent, Belgium, 30.11. – 18.12.2011
2010 : West Arch – Ludwig Forum, Aachen, Germany, 12.09. – 14.11.2010
2010 : From kinetic to digital art – Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence, France, 02.06. – 11.07.2010
2010 : Digital Nights – Singapore Art Museum, Singapore, 16.09. – 26.09.2010
2009 : Young Belgian Painters Award – Bozar, Brussels, Belgium, 25.06. – 3.09.2009
2009 : Holy Fire – iMAL, Brussels, Belgium, 18.04. – 30.04.2008
2008: Emocao Artificial - Itau, São Paulo, Brazil, 01.06. – 14.09.2008
2006 : Neo-beginners – TENT, Witte de With, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 31.08. – 22.09.2006
2003 : Urban lab – Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau, Germany, 10.10. – 18.10.2003
2003 : Polygone Den[c]ity – New Museum, New York, USA, 23.01. – 23.02.2003
2000 : La Beauté – Louvre, Paris, France, 10.10. – 29.10.2000
1998 : transArchitectures 02/03 – NAI, Netherlands Architecture Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, 18.11. – 12.12.1998
Complete and illustrated list of group shows: https://www.lab-au.com/groupshows
See also exhibitions organised by festivals
Public artworks
2028 : Source of Uncertainty – Podiumkunstengebouw, Leuven, Belgium
2026 : listen to the Universe – RTTbuilding, Kortrijk, Belgium
2025 : fLUx – Union Station, Toronto, Canada
2024 : XXXXXXXX – Stadtbibliothek Heidenheim, Germany
2021 : Kontexte – Crossover ‘Loredana Marchi,’ Brussels, Belgium
2019 : Zäit Wuert – Casino Luxembourg, Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg
2019 : Palimpsest – Wijkpark De Porre, Ghent, Belgium
2019 : 365,– De Hoorn, Leuven, Belgium
2016 : 365 – Quai 10 and La Vigie, Charleroi, Belgium
2016 : Lux Aeternae – AZF Memorial, Toulouse, France
2014 : 10e-15 – Centre de recherche Femto, Temis Science, Besançon, France
2014 : SiloScope – Quai Jules Guesde, Vitry-sur-Seine, Paris, France
2009 : mosaique 15x26 – Maison de la Mécatronique, Annecy-le-Vieux, France
Permanent artworks in semi-public collections
2025 : What colours tell us about …? – Cloudseven, Brussels, Belgium
2021 : yes, no : perhaps – Hager Stiftung, Blieskastel, Germany
2017 : origamiSquare 59 squares – Linklaters, Madrid, Spain
2017 : origamiCeiling 160 Rhombi – Reynaerts, Duffel, Belgium
2017 : origamiCeiling 20 squares 54 kites – Cosnova, Frankfurt, Germany
2017 : origamiPenrose 71 kites and darts – Aegon Amersfoort, The Netherlands
2016 : origamiSquare 192 squares – Linklaters, Brussels, Belgium
2016 : SwarmDots – Fidelity, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
2015 : chronoPrints – Zebrastraat, Ghent, Belgium
Many artworks in private collections all over the world
Artworks in public institutions
2021 : PI – Cryptology Museum, Moscow, Russia
2018: 2 × 540 kHz – Mika Vainio + LAb[au], Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland
2016 : EOD02 – Frederik De Wilde + LAb[au], ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
2006 : pixFlow02 – Itau Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil
Monographs, Catalogues,
2024 : POSSIBLES | PROBABLES – exhibition catalogue, Solo-shows Botanique and Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach
2019 : If Then Else – exhibition catalogue, Solo-show at Casino Luxembourg Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg
2016 : Calculations, Permutations, Notations – exhibition catalogue, Solo-Show at The Major Gallery, London, UK
2015 : Concepts, Modes, Systems – Centre des arts Enghien-les-Bains, France – ISBN 978-2-916639-38-3
2013 : Vasarely Hommage – catalogue insert, Musée d’Ixelles, Brussels, Belgium
2010 : MetaDesign – Les presses du réel, Dijon, France, 2010 – ISBN 978-2-84066-404-8
2010 : m0t1f – exhibition catalogue, Solo Show at Kunst-station Sankt Peter, Cologne, Germany
2004 : Liquid Space 01 to 03 – Matrix Art Project, Brussels, Belgium
Festivals
LAb[au]'s installations are regularly shown in festivals such as:
Ososphere, Strasbourg – CTM, Berlin – TodaysArt, The Hague – Scopitone, Nantes – Luminato, Toronto – Nemo, Paris –
Kikk, Namur – Elektra, Montreal, among many others …
Complete list of festivals since 1999: https://www.lab-au.com/festivals
Art Fairs
LAb[au]'s artworks have been represented in art fairs such as:
Art Basel, Art Basel Miami Beach, SP Arte, Arco, Art Brussels, Brafa, Fiac, Art Vienna, OfffScreen …
2023 : Solo Booth with La Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach (Brussels) at Off Screen, Garage Hausmann, Paris, France
2016 : Solo Booth with Galerie Denise René (Paris) at Art Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
For the complete list, go to the art fairs page.
Awards
2014 : New Technological Art Award, Foundation Liedts-Meesen, Gent, Belgium
2013 : Prix Victor Vasarely, Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence, France
2011 : Nominee Qwartz Electronic Awards, Paris, France
2010 : Canvas Collection, public art Prize, Bozar, Brussels, Belgium
2010 : Honorary mention Ars Electronica, Linz, Austria
2009 : Nominee Young Belgian Painters Award, Palais des Beaux-Arts, Brussels, Belgium
2008 : Prix Médiatine, Brussels, Belgium
2007 : Prix Médiatine, Brussels, Belgium
2002 : Culture 2002 Price, Brussels, Belgium for the 'WORLDEBT, you can count on it', online project LAb[au] in collaboration with John Knight
1999 : Prix de la Brique Belge, Brussels, Belgium, for the Lightscape(s), displacement maps, urban study
1999 : Tech-art prize Vlaams Ingenieurs Kamer, for the Lightscape(s), displacement maps, urban study