QUANTUM PHYSICS MEETS CONTEMPORARY ART IN MILAN

Summary:

• The National Quantum Science and Technology Institute hosts an art festival exploring quantum physics through contemporary art from December 3-17, 2025
• Young artists from Italian academies create works inspired by quantum research after visiting laboratories and meeting scientists
• Professional artists Robin Baumgarten, Carlo Bernardini, Max Papeschi, and Fabio Weik present original installations alongside student pieces

The National Quantum Science and Technology Institute presents the Quant'ARTE Festival at MyOwnGallery in Milan's Superstudio from December 3 through 17, 2025. The exhibition explores quantum physics through contemporary art, featuring works by students from Italian art academies and design institutes.

NQSTI operates as a partnership of twenty Italian institutions working across quantum technology innovation. The organization coordinates research, develops prototypes, connects with industry partners, and promotes scientific education through training programs and public outreach initiatives.

Professor Elisabetta Paladino from the University of Catania coordinates the festival through NQSTI's Education and Outreach section. The event marks UNESCO's International Year of Quantum Science and Technologies in 2025.

The festival invited young artists to engage with quantum physics through direct exposure to the field. Students met with scientists and toured advanced Italian quantum physics laboratories before creating their works. This process gave them firsthand experience with the research and technology they would interpret through art.

A selection committee with both scientific and artistic expertise chose the participating students. The committee includes Andrea Crespi, an artist known for exploring connections between art, technology, and social change. Amalia Ercoli Finzi, an aerospace scientist and engineer, serves on the committee with her daughter Elvina Ercoli. Both work on scientific communication and women's empowerment. Lavinia Farnese, digital director of Cosmopolitan and Marie Claire, brings perspective on reaching Generation Z audiences. Actress and cultural entrepreneur Cristiana Capotondi joins the committee alongside physicists Maurizio Dabbicco from the University of Bari and Elisabetta Paladino, both experts in quantum technologies.

The exhibition includes installations from four professional artists alongside student works. Robin Baumgarten, Carlo Bernardini, Max Papeschi, and Fabio Weik created original pieces inspired by quantum physics principles. Their work examines relationships between art, technology, and contemporary society.

The festival approaches quantum physics through artistic interpretation rather than educational illustration. The format creates space for dialogue between different fields and forms of expression. Quantum theory presents some of the most complex and counterintuitive concepts in physics. The artistic approach offers a different entry point into these ideas.

MyOwnGallery at Superstudio hosts the exhibition. The venue on Via Tortona 27bis serves as a meeting point for culture and innovation in Milan. The location positions the festival within the city's artistic community and design district.

The opening reception takes place December 3, 2025, at 6:30 PM on an invitation basis. Public viewing runs from December 4 through 17, 2025. The gallery opens weekdays from 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM and on holidays from 10:30 AM to 7:30 PM. Entry requires free registration through the festival website.

The festival will release a digital catalog with an introduction, concept statement, mission overview, and an interview with Professor Paladino. Video content and a short documentary about the collaboration between students, artists, and researchers will appear on the festival's social media channels.

The project demonstrates how artistic practice intersects with scientific research. By placing art students in direct contact with working physicists and laboratories, the festival creates conditions for cross-disciplinary exchange. The resulting works reflect individual artistic responses to quantum concepts and technologies.

Milan's role as a center for design and artistic experimentation makes the city a fitting location for this type of interdisciplinary project. The festival adds to ongoing conversations about how different fields can inform and enrich each other.