In 2019, we start our Fablab Residency program! If you're an artist, designer, engineer or developer and want to develop a new creative project with our digital manufacturing machines, Fablab.iMAL can offer you a residency!
Interested? More here.
About iMAL
A short history
iMAL (interactive Media Art Laboratory), is a non-profit association created in Brussels in 1999, with the objective to support artistic forms and creative practices using computer and network technologies as their medium. In 2007, iMAL opened its new venue: a Centre for Digital Cultures and Technology of about 600m2 for the meeting of artistic, scientific and industrial innovations. A space entirely dedicated to contemporary artistic and cultural practices emerging from the fusion of computer, telecommunication, network and media.
iMAL = a European Contemporary Art Center + Media Lab + FabLab
iMAL is the unique integration of an Art Center producing various public events (exhibitions, lectures, concerts/performances) with a Media Lab for artists to research, experiment, share and exchange with and about new technologies.In 2012, iMAL opened its Fablab, one of first in the Brussels region.
iMAL has become a European and international meeting place for artists, scientists and creative people, ideally located in Brussels, a muticultural and international city, capital of Europe.
Media Lab / Art Laboratory: Experimentation, Residency, Production
IMAL is a laboratory and a workplace for artists in residence, supporting them during their experimentation and research process as well as for the production and diffusion of their works (e.g. the installations "Salt Lake" de Tom Heene et Yacine Sebti, "Synapse" de Pascale Barret, “Jump!” de Yacine Sebti, "Chapter I: The Discovery" de Félix Luque). IMAL is involved in interdisciplinary projects where digital expressions augment in a meaningful way danse, theater and visual arts.
Research for the Art, Art&Science, Industrial innovation
Regular meetings are organized between creative professionals, innovative technological companies and research institutions (see our rendezvous). In 2008-2009, iMAL was a partner of the research project VIRAGE, a French initiative gathering university labs, innovative companies and art institutions.
Education: Workshops, Masterclasses
Besides the introduction and support workshops (Summer Digital Art Workshops, Code, Arts & Crafts), IMAL organizes professional masterclasses targeted to creative people (artists, designers, developers,…) under the direction of well-known artists (e.g. Casey Reas, David Rokeby, Jasch, Julian Oliver).
Art Center: exhibitions, lectures, concerts,...
iMAL public events are designed to raise the awareness of a large audience to the creative usage and critical reviews of information technologies, such as lectures, performances, concerts, exhibitions and festivals (e.g.. “F2F” - 2003, “Infiltrations Digitales” - 2004, “openLAB” - 2005, "Art+Game" - 2006, "Holy Fire" - 2008, "Playlist" - 2010 "Media Facade Festival Europe" - 2010) usually inviting both internationally well-known artists (e.g.. Jonah Brucker-Cohen, Jodi, Scott Snibbe, Toshio Iwai, Atau Tanaka, Antoine Schmitt) and local emerging ones.
Diffusion
Art works (co-)produced by iMAL are shown or performed in many festivals and art centers: Helsinki (CONTinENT, 2000; Kiasma, 2003), Madrid (VIDA, 2003), Los Angeles (AIM iV, 2003), Stuttgart (Filmwinter, 2004), Lisbon (Alkantara, Close Encounters III, 2006), Amsterdam (Victorian Circus at Brakke Grond, 2006), Basle (Viper, 2006), Montréal (Temps d’Images, 2007), Sao Paulo (File, 2007 and 2010), Ghent (Almost Cinema at Vooruit, 2007), Shanghai (eArts/Ars Electronica, 2007; Shangai Biennale, 2010), London (Sum/Some of the PARTS, 2007), Singapore (Japan Media Arts Festival 2008), Berlin (Transmediale 2010), Linz (Ars Electronica 2010), Shanghai Art Biennale (2010).
Networking
iMAL is a network institution collaborating with Belgian colleagues (e.g.. network of artistic laboratories www.kunstenwerkplaats.be) and other european centers (e.g. Laboral, Medialab-Prado, Hangar/ SP, V2, Mediamatic / NL, m-cult / FI, GMEA, Cie Incidents Mémorables, Incident, Art Sensitif / FR, FACT / UK, Ars Electronica Futurelab / AU,… ). Have a look at our complete network or organisations and artists.
CASTII
Thanks to a support from the European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020 (ERDF) iMAL will soon double its infrastructure next to the Brussels Canal and plans to reopen in the autumn of 2019 as a European Center where art, science, technology, innovation and integration meet. With this new center iMAL wants to formulate a response to a rapidly evolving digital society. The center not only provides space for (inter) national art practices that use, challenge and question innovative processes but will also be a place where technological developments and creativity are shared with a local community in the context of social integration. More info about this project at CASTII.
Institutional Funding
In 2017 iMAL is structurally supported by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles (sector Digital Arts and General Directorate for Culture), the Flemish authorities (Vlaamse overheid-Vlaams Brusselfonds) and the Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie.
News
In the context of Transmediale festival in Berlin, Wallonia Brussels International organises an exhibition showing pieces by 3 Brussels-based artists: Felix Luque, Julien Maire and LAb[au].
iMAL is very happy to be associated with this event as the co-producers of Julien's new work Composite as well as Felix's installations D.W.I. and Memory Lane.
Signals:...
The time has finally come: our renovation works at 30 Quai des Charbonnages started last week! After some demolition works, we can start building up our new, 3-storey centre for thedigital art and culture, which will open autumn 2019. Follow us on instagram,...