When 150 Genk residents became the rhythm section for Vasco Ribeiro Casais and his project OMIRI, Nieuwe Kempen listened to itself anew. Weaving everyday sounds – from welding steel to pouring tea – with live electrofolk, local talent, and outdoor projections, it turned community into shared art. Brought to Genk by Koen Vanmechelen, it proved the global exists only through the generosity of the local.

For over thirty years, Koen Vanmechelen’s work has found its way into homes, museums, institutions, private collections, and public spaces across the globe through a dedicated network of international galleries. Strong, valuable partners continue to carry this philosophy forward, and alongside these lasting collaborations, a new chapter has now begun with the opening of TERRANIDI, a dedicated gallery space for the artist’s universe. Taking its name from nidus, the Latin word

Invited by Koen Vanmechelen, Portuguese electrofolk artist OMIRI (Vasco Ribeiro Casais) spent the past year collecting the stories and sounds of more than 150 people from Genk, shaping them into a living musical portrait of the city.