Quantum Magic: When Science Defies Common Sense (EN)
In a conversation on occasion of the exhibition Magical Realism, Giulia Bini and Ralph Dum will explore the quantum world through the dual lens of science and art.
The exhibition challenges us to reconcile science and hard facts with magic. The conversation suggests that quantum physics may offer an answer to this challenge. Iconic experiments, like the double-slit experiment with photons, show that magic is woven into the fabric of reality at the quantum level in ways that defy our intuition.
Drawing on the example of Arts at CERN—a platform for art and science collaborations, where artists work directly with physicists in Geneva—the discussion will also explore how artists engage with these mind-bending realities. Here, the unseen world of subatomic particles is investigated through artistic perspectives in artworks that probe the conceptual boundaries of quantum phenomena while fostering alternative understandings of reality.
Giulia Bini, PhD, is a curator, program manager, and institutional strategist with over a decade of experience pioneering experimentation at the nexus of contemporary and media art, science, and advanced technologies in curatorial practice, theory, and writing. Since May 2025, she is Curator & Head of Arts at CERN, leading initiatives that connect artistic inquiry with fundamental scientific research. Originally trained as an art historian, her work explores how techno-scientific discourse and transdisciplinarity are redefining artistic practices, institutions, and exhibition methods.
Dr. Bini was the founding head of program and curator of Enter the Hyper-Scientific, the artist-in-residence program at EPFL, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. She previously served as curator and producer at EPFL Pavilions (2018–2021), and was a member of the curatorial team at ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (2014–2017). She has curated numerous group and solo exhibitions and collaborated with leading international institutions. Bini regularly contributes to publications and is the author of Media Spazio Display. ZKM Zentrum für Kunst und Medien | HfG Hochschule für Gestaltung (Mimesis Edizioni, Milan, 2022).
Ralph Dum holds a PhD in physics. His early work focused on research in Bose-Einstein condensation, quantum optics, and stochastic processes. He conducted research in the US (JILA/NIST, Boulder,CO and Stonybrook University, NY) and Europe (Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, Oxford University, University of Innsbruck).
After joining the European Commission, he was a driving force behind Europe's first quantum computing programs. He also initiated other programs like "Global Systems Science", applying complex systems science to global challenges like climate change and financial crises.
His personal passion for the arts led him to initiate the STARTS Program (Innovation at the nexus of Science, Technology, and the ARTS). STARTS fosters collaborations between artists and researchers to inspire new forms of innovation and public engagement.
Today, Ralph leverages his unique combination of scientific expertise, public policy experience, and expertise in linking to the art world to advise institutions on future technologies and innovative practices, with a particular focus on synergies between technologies like AI and Quantum Technology with the arts.