2025, Pietra Dura: Inlay of semi-precious stones, 24 cm x 15 cm x 1 cm.

Silverton is a pietra dura mosaic based on the Gold King Mine disaster of 2015 in North America. During a remediation attempt at an abandoned gold mine near Silverton, over eleven million liters of highly polluted mine water were accidentally released into the Animas River. The acidic water, saturated with heavy metals, turned the river a bright orange and spread through river systems across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, and the Navajo Nation.

The disaster exposed the long-term ecological consequences of historical mining and the fragility of attempts at environmental repair. Through the slow, layered process of pietra dura, Silverton reflects on industrial contamination as a lingering presence in the landscape, where past extraction continues to shape ecosystems, politics, and communities long after the mines themselves have fallen silent.

Biography

Lola Prima Donna Daels °1990, Brussel (BE).
Member of Level Five, Brussels.

 

 

Lola Prima Donna Daels (b. 1990 in Jette, BE) is a Brussels based artist. Leaving from found objects, she poses critical inquiries about the ecological and socio-political situation. By reshaping and integrating her relics into new contexts she questions the concept of authenticity in our globalizing society. She has exponentially gravitated towards researching the human impact from an ecological preoccupation. She works site-specifically, both in research scope as well as in execution. 


Daels obtained her master degree in visual arts in 2014 at Luca School of Arts, Brussels. She has been part of several residency programs such as EKWC (NL), Kooshk recidency (IR) and Cité Internationale des Arts (FR). Her work was shown at Bozar (BE), Extracity Kunsthal (BE), Deegar Platform (IR), Art Sonje Center Seoul (KR) and many more.

Her interest in urban complexities led to the collaboration with architect and urbanist Sebastiaan Willemen. 

Upcoming

2026 
 

  • Found, Boekentoren Gent, BE
    Vernissage February 2, 2026
    3 – 27 February 2026
    Group Exhibition & the second part of the trilogy Lost and Found – Caring for What Is (about to disappear).
    The exhibition is curated by Tine Hens, author of Archief van mogelijk verlies (EPO, 2025).

     
  • Solo Exhibition, Salon Blanc Ostend, BE
    Vernissage October 24, 2026
    Solo Exhibition curated by Els Wuyts en Yves Velter.
     
  • Broek Festival (Nona), Groendomein Vrijbroekpark, BE
    Vernissage June 5, 2026
    Group Exhibition curated by Andrea Cinel.

Texts and publications

2025

  • Ruimte Magazine: Bomen & bossen, Meesterproef; Sociaal Wonen "Moederbos" P.67

  • A+ (306), Building for Culture, Sociaal Wonen P. 115.
     

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