“An environment where a dialogue between science and art can thrive”

Please briefly explain the EPFL Enter the Hyper-Scientific Artist-in-Residence program.

Enter the Hyper-Scientific was initiated by the College of Humanities (CDH) as a platform for artists and scientists to collaborate on artistic projects. The aim is to foster collaborations between artists and the EPFL scientific community. It is a research-based, project-oriented program featuring both a research phase and the presentation of the resulting works in public exhibitions at EPFL Pavilions.

Where did the idea for this program come from?

I started at EPFL at the end of 2017, working with Sarah Kenderdine, Director of EPFL Pavilions.Discussions were already underway about the possibility of hosting resident artists. For the 2020–21 Nature of Robotics: An Expanded Field exhibition, we organized a residency with artists Melissa Dubbin and Aaron S. Davidson; however, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the residency had to take place remotely. We also hosted Nora Al-Badri and Caroline Corbasson as residents, both invited by CDH. In August 2021, my role shifted from EPFL Pavilions to establishing a new residency program within CDH, supported by [former dean] Béla Kapossy and current dean Frédéric Kaplan, which became Enter the Hyper-Scientific.

Where did the name come from?

The name stems from my personal perception of EPFL as a truly polytechnic campus, where science thrives across all disciplines and research fields — from computer science and artificial intelligence to physics, chemistry, robotics, materials science, life sciences, digital humanities and architecture. It represents a 360-degree view of science and technology. The idea of "hyper-science" emerged as a response to this extraordinary scientific richness and transdisciplinary diversity on campus. It was also important that the name conveyed the sense of the program serving as a gateway to the full breadth of EPFL's scientific research.

How did you become interested in working as a curator and in art and art history?

When I was young, I would visit exhibitions and museums with my parents. Later, I studied art history, contemporary art and curatorial studies in Rome, Venice and Paris, drawn to it as a powerful way to reflect on our world and our time. This instinctively led me toward experimental practices — especially time-based media, digital media and sound practices — namely when technology becomes increasingly intertwined with artistic practice, opening new connections to scientific and technological discourses. I explored these new perspectives and theoretical fields further during my PhD. I see art as a spectrum through which to observe, question, and interrogate society and our era, while also offering alternative perspectives. In this context, science and technology play a fundamental role in helping us analyze and understand the world we live in today, and imagine speculative futures.

What has been your experience working at this intersection between art and science?

Before coming to EPFL, I worked at the ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, one of Europe’s leading institutions for digital art and for fostering dialogue between the arts and the fields of science and technology. When I arrived at EPFL, integrating science and the arts became the mission of EPFL Pavilions and of the Enter the Hyper-Scientific program. At each stage, the intersection between art and science has been explored in multifaceted ways, engaging with different aspects of scientific research and a wide range of artistic inquiries.

How do you choose the artists you bring to campus?

Enter the Hyper-Scientific is an annual, international open call, with a selection committee composed of senior EPFL members as well as external experts from the cultural field, including the Ville de Lausanne, which became a partner of the residency by offering accommodation in the cultural cooperative La Meute. We aim to foster visionary projects that combine artistic inquiry with a genuine interest in scientific research. It is also essential that the exchange is mutually enriching for both the artists and the scientists.

What have been some of the biggest highlights of the program for you?

One of the greatest highlights has been having the artists on campus and working toward the realization of each project in dialogue with incredible scientists, culminating in an exhibition — which is also a curatorial highlight for me. Another major moment was when we launched the program in 2021 and immediately received 250 applications, clearly demonstrating the strong interest in this kind of initiative.

It’s also gratifying to see many of the projects created during the residency exhibited at other museums or featured in festivals. For some artists, the work they begin at EPFL marks the start of an entirely new artistic chapter. Another remarkable highlight has been seeing an artist's contribution directly influence scientific research. Joel Kuennen’s project (2022–23), developed at the Crystal Growth Facility, led to the publication of a scientific paper on the mineral olivine — made possible thanks to the unique and eccentric questions Kuennen introduced, which deviated from traditional scientific protocols.

Finally, this year, we established a wonderful partnership with mudac’s Solar Biennale, around the project of Alice Bucknell, and in connection with exhibitions featuring the new works by Matthew C. Wilson, Emilia Tapprest, and Sahej Rahal.

What makes EPFL such a special place for this kind of residency?

The diversity of the scientific community at EPFL is truly unique. Another key element is the curatorial framework: the presence of EPFL Pavilions on campus meant that the artistic community was already aware of our work. Through the exhibitions and programs at EPFL Pavilions, it became clear that we at EPFL were not only fluent in the language of science, but also deeply engaged in the language of art. This dual understanding creates a special environment where meaningful dialogue between the two fields can thrive.

How do you see the future of the artist-in-residence program at EPFL, and arts at EPFL in general?

CDH and EPFL Pavilions are currently in a moment of transition. The residency program in its current form is on pause. However, I believe that the dialogue between art and science will continue to flourish at EPFL in new and evolving forms, including through existing initiatives such as CDH-Culture.

What will you bring from your experience at EPFL into your new role at CERN?

I will bring everything. EPFL was a fundamental chapter in my professional journey, one that contributed in leading me to CERN. It was a truly rewarding experience — first during my years at EPFL Pavilions alongside Sarah Kenderdine, and then in creating the Artist-in-Residence program. I plan to bring with me to CERN the same enthusiasm and curiosity that guided me in exploring and discovering EPFL. I’m looking forward to getting to know a new scientific community at CERN and to fostering the presence of international artists there.