Tabakalera opens the exhibition "Visiones Cuánticas" (Quantum Visions) in which DIPC is taking part

• The exhibition Visiones cuánticas explores how the fundamental principles of quantum physics, such as indeterminacy, probability and uncertainty, inspire innovative forms of expression and reflection in contemporary art.
• The exhibition is the result of international collaboration between the CERN research centre, through its Arts at CERN art programme, DIPC and Tabakalera, and will travel to Basel and Eindhoven once the exhibition closes next June.
• Curated by Mónica Bello, it brings together works by eleven artists of international renown, including Jaione Camborda, winner of the Golden Shell at the San Sebastian Festival 2023, and Abelardo Gil-Fournier.
• A part of the exhibition and its programme of activities and educational proposals will travel to other reference spaces in the Basque Autonomous Community, such as the Guggenheim Museum and Azkuna Zentroa Alhóndiga Bilbao, thanks to the support of the Department of Science, Universities and Innovation of the Basque Government.

As part of its tenth anniversary and the International Year of Quantum Science and Technologies, Tabakalera is inaugurating Visiones cuánticas (Quantum Visions), an exhibition which explores the multiple possibilities of the quantum universe through contemporary artistic practices. Curated by Mónica Bello, director of Arts at CERN, the exhibition brings together the works of eleven international artists: Alice Bucknell, the winner of the 2023 Golden Shell Jaione Camborda, Libby Heaney, Joan Heemskerk, Abelardo Gil-Fournier, Nicole L’Huillier, Yunchul Kim, Adriana Knouf, Yuri Pattison, Marina Rosenfeld and Semiconductor (Ruth Jarman & Joe Gerhardt).

CERN programme, the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), the Tekniker research and technology centre, and the art centres HEK (Haus der Elektronischen Künste) in Basel and MU Hybrid Art House in Eindhoven, which will also host the exhibition at their respective venues. The exhibition also has the support of the Department of Science, Universities and Innovation of the Basque Government, and also of the Department of Economic Promotion and Strategic Projects of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.

Space for dissemination and to make quantum physics more accessible.

Throughout the 20th century, quantum physics revolutionised the way we understand the universe. Concepts such as uncertainty, probability and indeterminacy transformed not only science, but also our vision of the world. Visiones cuánticas builds on this revolution to look at how quantum physics inspires new ways of thinking, questions certainties and redefines the limits of knowledge.

An innovative space for the dissemination of information on quantum physics has been created as a prelude to the exhibition, designed by DIPC and the creative studio Morgancrea. Through an installation consisting of six screens, the public will be able to access educational and reflective content that facilitates an understanding of the fundamental concepts of quantum physics. This proposal seeks to make the complex principles of quantum physics more accessible to the general public, reinforcing Tabakalera’s commitment to the dissemination of knowledge and interaction with diverse audiences. This “mini exhibition” within the show itself, with the support of the Department of Science, Universities and Innovation, will be transferred to Gasteiz and Bilbao, more specifically to Azkuna Zentroa Alhóndiga Bilbao in mid-October.

The impact of Tabakalera on artistic and scientific creation.

Tabakalera began its journey in the field of Art, Science, Technology and Society in 2020, coinciding with the opening of Medialab, a space open to citizen creation, with the aim of generating knowledge through the meeting between artists and researchers.

This approach is based on the premise that research and joint creation not only enrich artistic production, but also generate a significant impact on creativity and innovation within science and technology. The interaction between disciplines therefore allows for the opening up of new perspectives and proposing scenarios that transcend the purely technical, and the resulting creations offer citizens a different way of approaching issues of social relevance, beyond traditional scientific dissemination. In addition, they facilitate the generation of new knowledge and provide other interpretations of reality.

Since then, the centre has developed several projects and prototypes that combine artistic and scientific creation, such as the audiovisual installation Supraspectives by the collective Quadrature (2020), the interactive robotic installation Dream Painter by the artist duo Varvara & Mar (2022), the robotic installation Holobot. Social garden by the collective VR- Kommand (2022), the installation Clouds of Pollen by the collective Grow Your Own Cloud (2022), and the prototypes exhibited in the exhibition Máquinas de ingenio (2023).

The exhibition Visiones cuánticas joins this list and consolidates Tabakalera as an international benchmark in the integration of different disciplines to address contemporary challenges.

Mediation and dissemination programme with leading experts in art and quantum physics.

In parallel with the exhibition, Tabakalera has designed an extensive public and mediation programme that includes dialogued visits, conferences and round table discussions with artists, scientists and experts in quantum physics, film screenings, and workshops led by the artists participating in the exhibition and various educational activities aimed at all audiences.

Thanks to the strategic collaboration of the Department of Science, Universities and Innovation of the Basque Government, various informative contents and events have been designed (conferences, children’s workshops, etc.) that will be included in scientific dissemination events and programmes, such as NAUKAS, BILBO ZIENTZIA PLAZA and BIDEBARRIETA CIENTÍFICA, as well as in important artistic institutions such as the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao.

The participants who will take part in this programme include well-known names such as the curator and researcher Jon Uriarte, the educational collective Maushaus, the science communicator Rocío Vidal (La Gata de Schrödinger), the science communicator José Luis Crespo (Quantum Fracture), the director of the DIPC Ricardo Díez Muiño and the philosopher Mijo Lizarzaburu, who, together with other artists, scientists and experts, will enrich the programme with their knowledge and perspectives on quantum physics and its influence on contemporary art.