INDUSTRIAL ART BIENNALE (IAB)
is an art festival project of Labin Art Express XXI (L.A.E. XXI),
first held as a pilot-project in 2014 in Labin, and from 2016 every two years in Labin as well as at some other ex-industrial and significant locations in Istria and the wider region (Raša, Pula, Rovinj, Rijeka). Future editions should also take place under ground, in the former mine tunnels 160 m below ground level, where L.A.E. XXI is developing its fundamental project Underground City XXI. Each edition has different guest curators and lasts from 45-60 days, in September and October, in parallel with the Venice Biennale.
The industrial topography of the wider Labin area, the shipyard in Pula, the planned “Museum of Mining and Industry of Istria” in the former Raša (Arsia) coalmine, and many other industrial sites in Istria, together with the complex economic and socio-political background of the regional cultural heritage closely linked to its industrial development entails a need for a cultural event related to the broader concept of “industrial” in all art disciplines (music, visual, new media, performing arts, etc.).
Each edition of the Biennial explores in various forms the ambiguous nature of the connections between art and industry, as well as the context of the interconnections between art, science and technology. This type of event is unique in Croatia and the wider Central European region and also aims to further develop existing local and regional cultural tourism. It also helps strengthen the identity of the Istrian region by improving the visibility of its industrial heritage aand its significance in the European framework.
Learn more at the biennial website
