Quantum is an exhibition currently running at the CCCB that anyone with even a passing interest in the nature of the physical world that surrounds us will find fascinating.
Science and art come together with an exhibition that explores quantum physics through a series of ten artistic projects that are coupled with nine windows into laboratory research work. Field work and artistic interpretation are juxtaposed in order to explore an invisible reality that nonetheless surrounds us and impacts on the very nature of our existence affecting diverse aspects of contemporary life.
Quantum, the science of subatomic particles
Operating on a sub-atomic level quantum physics considers the duality of how everything in the known universe works on both a particle and wave basis, simultaneously. Quantum comes from the Latin term “how much” and reflects the notion of discrete quantities and empirical research that is at the heart of this exhibition. Nevertheless everything we know about the subject is based on conjecture and experimentation because it cannot be seen by the naked eye. When we deal with the properties of quantum physics we are in a different realm, one that must be represented by models and experiments. This nebulous world is fertile ground for the artist’s imagination and results in surprising synergies.
Science and Art
Historically the role of the artist was indistinguishable from that of the scientist from the ancient times of the Greeks and Romans through to the Renaissance and even up till the present day. Figures like Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and even Buckminster Fuller have made important scientific discoveries while blurring the lines between science and art.
A collaborative international exhibition
The Quantum exhibition at the CCCB which can be visited till September 24th this year is curated by Mónica Bello and José Carlos Mariátegui, together with the physicist José Ignacio Latorre who advised on scientific matters. This exhibition started at CERN the European Organisation for Nuclear Research institute that operates the largest particle physics laboratory in the world. Sponsored by Collide International, its flagship Arts programme in collaboration with FACT Liverpool. Artists were invited to reside at the institute and establish a dialogue with the researchers working there, Quantum is the result of these collaborations. The exhibition is co-produced by ScANNER (Science and Art Network for New Exhibitions and Research), FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology, Liverpool), IMAL (Interactive Media Arts Laboratory, Brussels), Le Lieu Unique (Nantes) as well as the CCCB.
Quantum forms parts of the ongoing commitment of the CCCB to presenting and interpreting the technologies that are shaping contemporary life through exhibitions, lectures and other media.
The CCCB, one of Barcelona’s must-see cultural attractions
The CCCB is one of Barcelona’s most vibrant cultural institutions, the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona or CCCB as it’s commonly known is located at the heart of the Raval. Organising and producing exhibitions, debates, festivals and concerts, the CCCB programme includes film cycles, courses and lectures, primarily concerned with the contemporary city and urban culture. Accommodated within a former almshouse Casa del Caritat which was originally constructed in 1802 and completely refurbished during the early 1990s at the time of Barcelona’s hosting of the Olympic Games. The historical building is organised around a courtyard, one of the sides of which is occupied by a modern angled glass volume that is elevated over the roofline to provide a mirror reflection of the surrounding roofscape, as well as housing the vertical circulation to the gallery levels.
Accommodation
While the CCCB as a cultural institution is concerned with urban culture and the city the same could be said for the Grand Hotel Central. Located in the centre of Barcelona where the history of the city is etched onto the walls that immediately surround it, Grand Hotel Central provides a great place for visitors to appreciate and learn about local culture. From its renowned Mediterranean cuisine served at the City Bar and Restaurant, to its range of curated experiences, cocktails served at Skybar on the roof terrace created by Manel Vehí, visitors will learn the best way possible: through all their senses. The building itself is a testament to the urban culture of Barcelona, constructed in the 1920s the first building to be completed on one of the city’s only planned streets through the Gothic Quarter, on Via Laietana. An Art Deco style building that is filled with period details combined with contemporary comforts.
