LAb[au], laboratory for art and urbanism
is an artist collective founded in 1997 in Brussels by Manuel Abendroth and Jérôme Decock that situates its practice within the tradition of conceptual art, in which the artwork is conceived as a statement and language itself becomes material. The name – laboratory [labo] and construction [bau] – encapsulates this approach: between written form and phonetics, between experimentation and realisation, with architecture serving as a critical framework. For over twenty-five years, the collective has developed a transdisciplinary, collaborative practice, producing works, installations, and architectural integrations in collaboration with artists from diverse disciplines.
In their practice, LAb[au] investigates the relationship between art and language through both semantics – written words and other forms of coded language – and semiotics, that is, signs and sign systems. They formulate a linguistic approach, bringing concepts from information and communication theory into the field of art. Many of their works originate in concepts specific to art, such as the monochrome. This leads them to question the limits of language, since the meaning of the monochrome – its fascination with the void – can only be apprehended through a broader understanding of art. In this way, they engage with the tradition of painting through terminology while situating it within a broader cultural context.
Any language can also be encoded in other media, where colours, shapes, and patterns form a visual language. LAb[au] employs these different media through the structures of syntax, grammar, and vocabulary. In doing so, they explore ways of translating and transcoding artistic expression from one medium to another. Like a librarian, they arrange rows of books that explore infinite combinations of forms or enumerate all the possible ways to fill or blacken an empty white page. Their rule-based approach examines the materiality, process, and very concept of art. LAb[au]'s practice is rooted in conceptual art, where tautologies and fundamental units such as space and time form the basic artistic vocabulary. Using algorithms, the artists contextualise these notions within the contemporary world.
LAb[au] has presented its work in renowned institutions such as:
Botanique, Brussels (2024); Kunstmuseum Heidenheim (2023); KIASMA, 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, Montréal (2015); Bozar, Brussels (2014); MoMA, New York (2014); Le Centquatre, Paris (2014); Singapore Art Museum (2014); Biennale di Venezia, Venice (2013); Seoul Museum of Art (2013); Centre Pompidou, Paris (2008); Witte de With, Rotterdam (2006); New Museum, New York (2003); Louvre, Paris (2000), among many others.
They have also realised numerous permanent works, and their work is held in public and private collections worldwide.
LAb[au] is represented by Dan Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil.
Solo Exhibitions, Selection (complete list here)
2025: Para além da biblioteca, Biblioteca Brasiliana, São Paulo, Brazil
2024: painting, writing, calculating, transcoding, Dan Galeria, São Paulo, Brazil
2024: POSSIBLES | PROBABLES, Botanique, Brussels, Belgium
2022: Zeit Zeichen, Zeichen Zeit, Kunstmuseum Heidenheim, Heidenheim, Germany
2019: If Then Else, Casino Luxembourg – Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
2016: Langage codé, La Patinoire Royale/Galerie Valérie Bach, Brussels, Belgium
2015: rouge, vert, bleu, blanc, Centre des arts d’Enghien-les-Bains, Enghien-les-Bains, France
2014: zéro / un, Galerie Denise René, Paris, France
2014: writing, drawing, painting, DAM Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2014: binary waves, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
2011: Tessel, Musée de Moulage, Lyon, France
2011: framework f5x5x3, Aubette, Strasbourg, France
2010: m0t1v, Kunst-Station Sankt Peter, Cologne, Germany
Group Exhibitions, Selection (complete list here)
See also exhibitions organised by festivals.
2025: Col Tempo, Galerie Bigaignon at Rhinocerus Gallery, Rome, Italy
2025: Remarks on Colours, KBK Art Space, Brussels, Belgium
2024: Langages et Imaginaires, La Gaîté Lyrique, Paris, France
2023: The Seduction of the Bureaucrat, De Garage, Mechelen, Belgium
2022: AXIOM #1, premises, TOPO?, Brussels, Belgium
2022: On the Lookout, Fondation CAB, Brussels, Belgium
2021: Order of Operations, Bozar, Brussels, Belgium
2021: X, FRAC des Pays de la Loire, Carquefou, France
2021: Mika Vainio retrospective, Kiasma, Helsinki, Finland
2020: Transcoding, Société, Brussels, Belgium
2019: Imaging Cities, SongEun Art Space, Seoul, South Korea
2019: D’un soleil à l’autre, Base Sous-marine, Bordeaux, France
2018: Action <> Reaction, Kunsthal Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2018: A Brave New World, MAAT, Lisbon, Portugal
2018: Untitled (monochrome), Richard Taittinger Gallery, New York, USA
2018: TIME, Bastide Projets, Marseille, France
2017: Artists & Robots, Grand Palais World Exhibition, Astana, Kazakhstan
2017: Eutopia, Museum M, Leuven, Belgium
2016: Terminal P, La Panacée, Montpellier, France
2016: ACT, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, South Korea
2016: Digital Abstraction, Haus der elektronischen Künste, Basel, Switzerland
2015: Prosopopées, Le Centquatre, Paris, France
2015: Fold/Unfold, Kikk Festival, Galerie Du Beffroi, Namur, Belgium
2015: Exo-Evolution, ZKM, Karlsruhe, Germany
2015: Noir et Blanc, Galerie Denise René, Paris, France
2014: Physicality, Musée d’Art Contemporain, Montréal, Canada
2014: Artist/Novelist, MoMA, New York, USA
2013: Poème Numérique, Atomium, Brussels, Belgium
2013: Noise, Biennale di Venezia, Venice, Italy
2012: Artificial Garden, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
2012: Space Oddity, Le Grand Hornu Image, Boussu, Belgium
2010: West Arch, Ludwig Forum, Aachen, Germany
2010: From Kinetic to Digital Art, Fondation Vasarely, Aix-en-Provence, France
2009: Young Belgian Painters Award, Bozar, Brussels, Belgium
2009: Holy Fire, iMAL, Brussels, Belgium
2008: Emoção Artificial, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil
2007: Architecture of the Night, Netherlands Architecture Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2006: Neo Beginners, Witte de With, Tent Gallery, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
2003: Urban Lab, Bauhaus Dessau, Dessau, Germany
2003: Polygon Den[c]ity, New Museum, New York, USA
2002: Les Cinémas du futur, Le Pass, Mons, Belgium
2000: La Beauté, Clos des Trams, Avignon, France
2000: TransArchitectures 02/03, Netherlands Architecture Institute, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Public Artworks, Selection (complete list)
2028: Source of Uncertainty, Podiumkunstengebouw, Leuven, Belgium
2026: listen to the Universe, RTT Building, Kortrijk, Belgium
2026: fLux, Union Station, Toronto, Canada
2024: XXXXXXXX, Stadtbibliothek Heidenheim, Germany
2019: Zäit Wuert, Casino Luxembourg, Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg
2019: Palimpsest, Wijkpark De Porre, Ghent, Belgium
2016: 365, Quai 10 and La Vigie, Charleroi, Belgium
2016: Lux Aeternae, AZF Memorial, Toulouse, France
Permanent and Accessible Artworks in Private and Corporate Collections, Selection
2025: What colours tell us about …?, Collection Cloudseven, Brussels, Belgium
2021: yes, no: perhaps, Hager Stiftung, Blieskastell, Germany
2017: origamiSquare 59 squares, Linklaters, Madrid, Spain
2017: origamiCeiling 160 Rhombi, Reynaerts, Duffel, Belgium
2017: origamiCeiling 20 squares 54 kites, Collection Cosnova, Frankfurt, Germany
2017: origamiPenrose 71 kites and darts, Collection Aegon, Amersfoort, The Netherlands
2016: origamiSquare 192 squares, Linklaters, Brussels, Belgium
2016: SwarmDots, Collection Fidelity, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
2015: chronoPrints, Collection Zebrastraat, Ghent, Belgium
Many artworks in private collections all over the world
Artworks in Institutions, Selection
2024: tonerchromeS, MO.CO. Montpellier Contemporain, Montpellier, France
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, Itaú Cultural, São Paulo, Brazil
Monographs and Exhibition Catalogues, Selection (complete list of publications here)
2024: POSSIBLES | PROBABLES, exhibition catalogue, Botanique and Galerie La Patinoire Royale Bach
2019: If Then Else, exhibition catalogue, Casino Luxembourg Forum d’art contemporain, Luxembourg
2016: Calculations, Permutations, Notations, exhibition catalogue, The Major Gallery, London, UK
2015: Concepts, Modes, Systems, exhibition catalogue, Centre des arts Enghien-les-Bains, France – ISBN 978-2-916639-38-3
2010: MetaDesign, Monograph, 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
Festivals (complete list here)
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, Montréal, among many others …
Art Fairs (complete list here)
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, Off Screen …
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.