Skip to main content

Exhibition

Quantum

The exhibition Quantum gives us the keys to understanding the principles of Quantum physics, and it does so through the joint creative work of scientists and artists. The project invites the public to browse freely, to awaken their curiosity, and to critically evaluate the new paradigms of modern science.

Quantum physics describes the fundamental laws of the world that remain hidden from the senses. It is the human theory that most accurately describes nature today. In many respects, it is a surprising theory, subject to criticism and of great philosophical scope.

First, ten artistic projects show how the impact of quantum physics goes beyond the realm of science. Then, nine windows introduce laboratory research work and present visitors with the intellectual achievement represented by the theories of physics in contact with the scope of advanced experiments.

The union of these two itineraries, the artistic and the scientific, creates a multifaceted scenario that raises new questions and connections, helping us to comprehend an apparently invisible reality and the impact it has on our lives.

Artistic Itinerary

Quantum looks at how the languages and methodologies of transdisciplinary artistic practice can contribute to an understanding of science. To understand the subatomic world, we have to realise that it is an area governed by different properties. These properties are represented as models and experiments that scientists try to understand and fit into a logical scenario. The ultimate aim of the exhibition is to reflect more closely on these models and experiments by means of the participation of people from the field of culture, showing the work being done at CERN, where the world’s largest particle physics experiment is being carried out.

These are the artists-in-residence at CERN and the works they produced during their stay at the Nuclear Research Centre in Geneva.

 

Scientific Itinerary

The scientific itinerary is an accessible route via nine windows onto the laboratory. These nine windows of knowledge prompt visitors to consider fundamental quantum principles, their philosophical consequences and their all-pervasive technological applications.

  • Scales: Where do we need quantum mechanics?
  • Quantum states: How do we describe nature?
  • Overlap: Can two options overlap?
  • Intertwining: Can two particles depend on one another?
  • Indeterminacy: Can we know with certainty?
  • Randomness: Does chance exist?
  • Open science: Who created quantum mechanics?
  • Everyday quantum: Do we know how much quantum theory there is in our lives?
  • Change-evolution: What can we do with a quantum computer?

 

Quantum On Our Everyday Lives

Everyday life is surrounded and conditioned by the domain of the quantum world, without us really realising. It allows us to create sensors, atomic clocks, magnetic resonance machines, computers and lasers.

Its future is no less impressive; quantum physics is gradually becoming advanced quantum engineering. Subtler, more refined, more surprising machines will be created. Humankind’s economy is and will continue to be closely linked to the exploitation of the quantum principles that are being investigated at all possible scales.

 

An International Project

Quantum is a project curated by Mónica Bello and José Carlos Mariátegui, along with the physicist José Ignacio Latorre as the scientific advisor.

Quantum began at Collide International, the flagship programme of Arts at CERN in collaboration with FACT Liverpool. For the last three years, a group of artists was invited to reside at CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research, Geneva) to advance their artistic practice by establishing a dialogue with engineers and particle physicists. The project brings together the ten works produced by this exchange.

The exhibition is coproduced by ScANNER (Science and Art Network for New Exhibitions and Research), CERN (European Organisation for Nuclear Research, Geneva), FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, Liverpool), CCCB (Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona), IMAL (Interactive Media Arts Laboratory, Brussels) and Le Lieu Unique (Nantes).

The project’s first outing, with the presentation of the pieces produced by commissioning ten international artists, was presented at FACT Liverpool with the title Broken Symmetries.

 

Third Culture: Science, Art and the Humanities for Understanding the Coming World

So far, the CCCB’s programme addressing the Third Culture has analysed key themes in today’s society such as: the datification of the world, what makes us human, and computational thinking. In this new edition, our goal is to shift the focus to the principles of quantum mechanics, to engage with the challenges it poses, and with the aim of participating in the debate. “Quantica” is the fifth exhibition in the CCCB’s range of activities examining the Third Culture.

Alongside the exhibition, the CCCB is organising a series of activities to submerge the public into the complexity of quantum physics from other viewpoints and in different formats: cycles of lectures, a full education programme, the CCCB’s open-air film programme, Gandules and tjhe Beta Station, a laboratory space within the exhibition space to enable work with communities affected by the issues raised.

Related contents

See all the content

Schrödinger’s Cat Visits Spain

Enric Pérez Canals

About when Erwin Schrödinger published an article and taught two lectures in Spain and about the meaning of the question and the metaphor in popular science.

Read the article

Citizen Science and the Arts

OpenSystems

Science and art may find common ground in the drive to conduct serious scientific research through shared experiences.

Read the article

Exhibition images

Previous activities

Build the universe piece by piece

In charge of the Institute of High Energy Physics (IFAE)

Quantum: the experiment continues

Presentation of the “Quantum” series by the CCCB Lab digital magazine

"La Jetée" + "Je t’aime, je t’aime"

Double session

Donnie Darko

Richard Kelly

Show more

Fish & Cat (Mahi va gorbeh)

Shahram Mokri

Mind Game (Maindo Gêmu)

Masaaki Yuasa and Koji Morimoto

Symbol (Shinboru)

Hitoshi Matsumoto

Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives

Apichatpong Weerasethakul

Ayudar al ojo humano

Session featuring a presentation by Velasco Broca

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

David Lynch

High Life

Claire Denis

Lecture by Priyamvada Natarajan

Mapping the Invisible Universe

Quantum Hackathon

Collaborative meeting, development and presentation of projects produced by visualising and sonifying the quantum universe

Quantum Technology and Cancer

Research and application in detecting and treating it

#QuantumChallenge

Quantum physics explained by Quantum Fracture, CdCiencia and La Gata de Schrödinger

To Be or Not to Be: Dialogues between Science and Philosophy

Dialogue between Antoni Hernández, Albert Solé and Susanna Tesconi, conducted by Marina Garcés

«Quantum» for blind people or with low vision

Visit adapted

How the Alba Synchrotron aids quantum information

Research into materials and surfaces

«Quantum» in sign language

Guided tour with interpretation service in sign language

Presentation of the project by photographer Chema Madoz and scientist Ignacio Cirac

CNIO Arte. 2019 Edition – Quantum

Quantum Computing Workshop

IBMQ Experience

Lecture by Víctor Gómez Pin

The Destiny of Quantum Physics

Lecture by Sabine Hossenfelder

How Beauty Leads Physics Astray

2nd World Metrology Day

New quantum formula for the kilogram, the mole, the ampere, the second and the kelvin

Enjoy Quantum! Co-Society #35

What is the future impacte in Industry?

Enjoy Quantum! Co-Society #35

What is the future impact in health?

Decide Game Quantum technologies

In charge of the ICFO-Institute of Photonic Sciences

The Quantum Computer at the BSC

A pioneering project

A quantum future: the next technological revolution?

A Talk With Antonio Acín, Aurelio Juste and Clivia Sotomayor

What do we mean when we speak of quantum physics?

A Talk With Maciej Lewenstein and David Mateos

A Morning with Sonia Fernández-Vidal

Quantum physics: reality or fiction?

Quantum: A Debate with Scientists and Artists

Inaugural debate of “Quantum”

Produced by

With the support of

Collaborators