Maarten Vanden Eynde

Born in Leuven, Belgium in 1977. Lives and works in Brussels, Belgium and Saint Mihiel, France.

Maarten Vanden Eynde’s practice is embedded in long term research projects that focus on numerous subjects of social and political relevance such as post-industrialism, capitalism and ecology. Since 2003, Vanden Eynde has been developing an invented field of research called Genetology – the science of first things – that investigates the future legacy of human kind. His work is situated exactly on the borderline between the past and the future; sometimes looking forward to the future of yesterday, sometimes looking back to the history of tomorrow. 


From 2008 to 2015 he worked on a project and sculpture called Plastic Reef, a growing installation of melted plastic debris from the worlds oceans, dealing both with one of humanities most pressing pollution problems and the disappearance of coral reefs worldwide.

Currently he is investigating the influence of transatlantic trade of pivotal materials like rubber, oil, ivory, copper, cotton and uranium, on evolution and progress, the creation of nations and other global power structures. The project Triangular Trade traces back the origin of the different materials and follows their (r)evolutionary path as they are processed and transformed into 'world changing wonders'.

Recent exhibitions include Belgian Art Prize Bozar, Brussels, Belgium (2017), 2050. A Brief History of the Future at Palazzo Reale, Milan, Italy (2016) and The Royal Museums of Fine Art, Brussels, Belgium (2015), In_Dependence at Performatik Biennale, Brussels, Belgium (2017), Realitiés Filantes, #4 Biennale de Lubumbashi, D.R. Congo (2015), Beyond Earth Art at Johnson Museum of Art, Ithaca, United States (2014), Ja Natuurlijk/Yes Naturally at Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Netherlands (2013), The Deep of the Modern, Manifesta9, Genk, Belgium (2012), The Museum of Forgotten History, M HKA, Antwerp, Belgium (2012), and Dublin Contemporary in Dublin, Ireland (2011)

In 2017 he won the Public Prize of the Belgian Art Prize, taking place at Bozar, Brussels, Belgium.

In 2005 he founded Enough Room for Space (ERforS), an interdependent art initiative that initiates and coordinates events, residencies, research projects and exhibitions worldwide, together with Marjolijn Dijkman.