Shanghai (CN)

Cosmos Archaeology, Exploring the Universe through Art and Science

The 2022 exhibition Cosmos Archaeology is presented as a new version at the Shanghai Astronomy Museum from 18 May to 17 September 2024! This new version titled Cosmos Archaeology, Exploring the Universe through Art and Science was curated by Prof. Sarah Kenderdine, Prof. Jean-Paul Kneib and independent curator Iris Long and originated in a collaboration between EPFL, the Shanghai Astronomy Museum and Swissnex in China. It features works from the original exhibition along with new installations, with the aim to inspire ever broader audiences with the marvels of space, through the encounter of art and science.

Winterthur (CH)

Lighten Up! In the Rhythm of Day and Night

The Lighten Up! exhibition, originally conceived in 2023 at EPFL Pavilions, will be presented from November 2024 to May 2025 at the Gewerbemuseum Winterthur under the title Lighten Up! In the Rhythm of Day and Night. This new exhibition combines original installations and new perspectives, aimed at a German-speaking Swiss audience. The original exhibition was curated by Prof. em. Anna Wirz-Justice, Prof. Marilyne Andersen, Prof. Sarah Kenderdine and Dr. Giulia Bini.

With: Kirell Benzi (CH), Alan Bogana (CH), James Carpenter (US), Rafael Gil Cordeiro (CH), Colin Fournier (GB), Andreas Horlitz (DE), Ted Hunt (GB), Robin Meier Wiratunga (CH) with André Gwerder (CH) and Guy Amichay (IL), Susan Morris (GB), Anne Noble with Guy Warman (NZ), Anna Ridler (GB), Helga Schmid (DE), Anna Wirz-Justice (CH) et al.

Guangzhou (CN)

Cosmos Archaeology in Guangzhou

For its second show in China, Cosmos Archaeology was presented at the Guangdong Science Center, the largest science museum in the world. Thirteen of the twenty installations from the original show displayed at EPFL Pavilions (2022-2023) were showcased at GDSC. The exhibition also featured Chinese artistic and scientific proposals.

The exhibition at GDSC was curated by Sarah Kenderdine (Professor, EPFL) and Jean-Paul Kneib (Professor, EPFL), together with Iris Long (independant curator), along with the Tsinghua University, the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, as well as the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory. This exhibition was in partnership with Yuanzhen Culture.

Beijing (CN)

Cosmos Archaeology in Beijing

Cosmos Archaeology, Exploration in Time and Space is the first Swiss exhibition held at the new National Museum of China since its opening and marks a highlight in the celebrations of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China. It reflects the deepening cooperation between the two countries in culture, science, innovation, and sustainability.

Divided into four sections – ‘Instruments and Techniques: Mapping the Universe’, ‘The Starry Sky of Big Data’, ‘Sustainable Space’, and ‘The Future: Planetary Journeys’ – the exhibition integrates scientific exploration with artistic interpretation, transforming real, fragmented and abstract cosmic data into immersive experiences through digital installations, interactive exhibits, kinetic sculptures and visionary design. These exhibits embrace reflections on humanity’s relationship with Earth and the cosmos, transform cosmic data and imagery through visual inquiry, and probe solutions for space debris mitigation and future off-world survival. Beyond their conceptual scope, they exemplify the fruitful outcomes of transnational and interdisciplinary scientific collaboration defining contemporary research, weaving together a historical narrative of human cosmic exploration across multiple dimensions.

Originally produced by EPFL Pavilions in 2022, this show was jointly organised by EPFL, the National Museum of China and the Embassy of Switzerland in China, with support from Yuanzhen Culture, the Department of Astronomy and the Academy of the Arts & Design of Tsinghua University. It was curated by Sarah Kenderdine (Professor, EPFL) and Gao Lu (National Museum of China, Beijing), co-curators Jean-Paul Kneib (Professor, EPFL), Prof. Shi Danging (Assocaite Professor, Tsinghua University), and Iris Long (independent curator).

Boston (US)

Upcoming: Lighten Up! in Boston

In Autumn 2025, Lighten Up! will be showcased at the MIT Museum in Boston. The exhibition, which will display most of the original artists, as well as some local artwork productions. More information will be available on the MITM website in September 2025.

The original exhibition was produced by EPFL Pavilions, curated by Prof. em. Anna Wirz-Justice, Prof. Marilyne Andersen, Prof. Sarah Kenderdine and Dr. Giulia Bini.

With: Kirell Benzi (CH), Alan Bogana (CH), James Carpenter (US), Rafael Gil Cordeiro (CH), Colin Fournier (GB), Andreas Horlitz (DE), Robin Meier Wiratunga (CH) with André Gwerder (CH) and Guy Amichay (IL), Susan Morris (GB), Anne Noble with Guy Warman (NZ), Anna Ridler (GB), Helga Schmid (DE), Anna Wirz-Justice (CH) et al.

Zürich (CH)

Upcoming: Deep Fakes in Zürich

The exhibition Deep Fakes, Art and Its Double (2021-2022), will be adapted into a new show at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich under the title: Museum fo the Future: 17 Digital Experiments. This exhibition will explore the potential of digitalization and AI for the museums of tomorrow. Through 17 interactive experiments, visitors will explore, among other things, the largest digital image ever created.