KOOZ The title of the “23ª Esposizione Internazionale” is “Unkown Unknowns: An Introduction to Mysteries”, what is for you the importance and value of an exhibition on the Unknown today?

EV “Unkown Unknowns: An Introduction to Mysteries” as theme for this Esposizione Triennale, was first brought up during a symposium that Stefano Boeri, president of the Triennale, organized back in March 2020. During this discussion, I brought forward the notion that, to date, we only know 5% of the universe, a statistic which was soon matched by an oceanographer who stated that our knowledge of the bottom of the oceans is similarly limited to only 5%. This sparked conversations around the 95% that we do not effectively know and the idea of what it would mean to curate and develop an exhibition on the unknown.

Strangely enough, these conversations were occurring at a very timely moment, considering that it was March 2020, and we were all experiencing, for the first time, a collective and simultaneous shock. A shock that made us acknowledge that, despite our beliefs, we do not have any control on our future. At that time, we were all catapulted into the realm of the unknown with the only possibility of adjusting to this new uncertain and undefined reality. Within the context of the pandemic, the discipline of science somehow gained a central role in the lives of all planetary citizens, who found themselves exposed to a very diverse technical language, structured around percentages, exponential growths etc. It was fascinating to see how the disciplines of science, design and architecture responded to this unknown condition, thus providing us with a stimulating point of departure.

KOOZ In addition to engaging the arts, architecture and design, the exhibition also explores the works and ideas of historians, philosophers, neuroscientists, physicists (amongst others). What informed this transdisciplinary approach?

EV I think that the beauty of this theme is that it has unleashed a lot of creativity across all disciplines. From the early stages, I was convinced that the strength of the show would lie in bringing together a multitude of voices. To this end, I wanted to expand the dialogue beyond the scientific community and the didactic format of a science museum but, on the contrary, use this occasion to create a diverse mixture of alchemies. Of course, the architecture and design cultural context of the Triennale Milano played a fundamental role, as a space where to test the intimate connections which exist between science and design.

KOOZ The exhibition explores themes which span from gravity as the ultimate designer, to the use of maps as systems through which we navigate space to the potential of architecture and the inhabitation of other planets to conclude with mysteries tied to deep space. What were your ambitions for both the contributors and the visitors throughout the process of making the exhibition and as “finished” show?

EV One of the objectives of the project was to explore how transformations can occur when one opens their perspective to others, whether this occurs through an emotion, through the gaining of knowledge or through an exchange. It was pivotal to create a space where all contributors, no matter their discipline, could approach and challenge these themes from their unique perspectives. We sought to catalyse an extremely rich debate on the unknown which would hopefully inform and stimulate their outlook and ultimately that of the visitor. The exhibition focuses on the enthusiasm embedded in the discovery of the unknown brought forward and informed by varying interpretations and sensibilities.

An important element throughout is language. Unkown Unkowns could in a way call for total resignation, in the sense that one could easily not want to know what one does not know. However, the exhibition wants to tie a thread between us as individuals and the unknown via mathematics. Mathematics has opened us to realities we didn’t even imagine, or which were considered unimaginable opening us up to new worlds.In this sense, examples as the proof of the existence of anti-matter years after the equation had been drafted is proof of such framework and possibilities.¹

Beyond the power of language as connective thread, the exhibition also plays with the mismatch of our senses and the unknown. The exhibition starts from ourselves, from our planet, and from Yuri Suzuki’s geodesic dome which connects local and global points through sound, an element which we take for granted here on earth, but which is totally absent in the mute universe. Throughout the course of the exhibition, visitors embark on a journey through realities which are not accessible to our senses whilst reinforcing a deep sense of belonging to a reality that transcends and is bigger than humanity, but which somehow unites us all. A perspective on humanity which Paola Antonelli had presented throughout the 22ª Esposizione Internazionale titled “Broken Nature.”

KOOZ How does the project achieve this notion of universality and mystery?

EV One thing that I was keen to include were the contributions of four scientists whom I deeply admire: the theoretical physicists Carlo Rovelli and Lisa Randall, the philosopher of biology Telmo Pievani and the neuroscientist Antonio Damasio. Featured within the “listening chambers” and in juxtaposition to the visual content of the show, these narrations seek to unravel the mysteries behind time (Rovelli), what lies beyond our senses (Randall), consciousness (Damasio) and the origins of life (Peviani).

Alongside these spoken words, marvels of the exhibition also include Encladus, one of Saturn’s 83 moons, and ESA’s (European Space Agency) bubble chamber. Whilst the former is presented via a giant maquette which reveals Encladus as the perfect place for life to begin as per Planet Earth billions of years back, the former physical device traces the passage of cosmic rays engaging the audience. Rather than an informative trajectory, the exhibition is structured and conceived as a punctuation of stimuli intended to make one reflect.

In juxtaposition to the unknown, and with the ambition of unravelling at least one mystery, the exhibit also presents our known future. An image, mapping the 2 billion stars in the milky way, reveals the exact constellation of our night sky for the next 1,600,000 years. Beyond this, and as a conclusion, the artist Rafik Anadol will project us some billion years into the future exploring the meeting point of our expanding universe with the galaxy of andromeda which will effectively signal the end of everything and the birth of something new and unknown.

KOOZ As an astrophysicist and Chief Diversity Officer at the European Space Agency, what was your experience in curating this exhibition?

EV I think it was courageous of Boeri to assign the curation of such an exhibition to an outsider. In the past few weeks, I have had the chance to reflect upon this last term and I soon realized that, although I am by no means a “curator”, I have always been interested in the sharing and narrating of stories. I am enthralled by the power of storytelling and the diverse ways through which a story can be told.

The months/years in the making of Unkown Unkowns have been an incredible learning experience, especially if I also look at the collaboration with Joseph Grima and the design of the exhibition which is entirely constructed from organic 3dprinted material. Contemporarily the process of curation has also enabled me to look at my practice and discipline as one which has the power to inspire.

Ultimately my experience pushes me to continuously look at things in a different way.

KOOZ What informed the collaboration with architect Kéré and what emerged from this dialogue?

EV Francis Kéré is a fantastic source of inspiration who brought a unique perspective to the show. From a purely architectural perspective, our collaboration led to the commission of the decalogue on extra-terrestrial inhabitation modes to the architecture practice Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. When considering the notion of buildings in such environments, a reality which will undoubtedly be part of our near future, it’s important to understand that one cannot build with imported material but rather find innovative ways of building with local resources in an essential manner.

This brings us back to 3d printing and for example, at ESA, we 3d-print skin for astronauts who are deployed to Mars and will need to use this in the event they get burned. Contemporarily we also work with the 3d printing of basic objects, as a screwdriver, but which are however reduced to the essentials and whose design and form emerges from the materialization of the forces in action when these objects are being used foregoing notions of symmetry and aesthetics which govern many of our design decisions today.

This approach is something which Kéré and I found ourselves talking a lot about as it is also very much how he approaches his practice as an architect. The architecture of Kéré is essential, local, and uses natural materials which not only aim for efficiency but also enforce a sense of community.

KOOZ How do you envision the public and private sectors co-existing in space and on other planets?

EV Like in sports, in space it is easy to distinguish between collaboration and competition. Between 2002-2006 I lived in Washington, and this was a very vibrant time as it was when Elon Musk was just embarking on his spaceflight endeavor backed by a strong political agenda from the Obama administration and their drive to open spaceflight to commercial and private actors. Of course, this drive for exploration is something which is deeply embedded in our DNA as humans, and which fuels both the public and private sectors. I vehemently believe that the study and inhabitation of space, one of four Global Commons, should however be solely undertaken for scientific research and forego any other colonial and economic ambitions once tightly knit to the realm of exploration up until the turn of the 20th century. In this sense, within the exhibition, “No Human No Sense” is a provocation which gives juridical power to Mars with the ambition of preventing humans to inhabit it.

KOOZ What projects do you imagine emerging from such an exhibition and research?

EV I trust that the assertion of gravity as the biggest designer is a stimulating starting point upon which I invite creatives to explore.

Bio

Ersilia Vaudo is an astrophysics and she is currently the European Space Agency (ESA) Chief Diversity Officer. She holds a degree in physics from Università La Sapienza in Rome, and successively worked at the Department of Cosmology. She has been awarded with the Amelia Earhart Fellowship from Zonta International Foundation in recognition of distinctive merit in Astrophysics studies. She was Member of the Board of Directors of Women in Aerospace USA, and she is currently member of the International Women's Forum, of the Women's Forum Daring Circle of Women in STEM, and of Women in Aerospace - Europe, and is one of the #100esperte list of Fondazione Bracco. Since April 2020 she has been part of the "12 Women for a New Renaissance" taskforce established by the Italian Minister for Equal Opportunities and Family, where she has contributed to the formulation of proposals concerning "Research, STEM, and skill development".

Federica Zambeletti is the founder and managing director of KoozArch. She is an architect, researcher and digital curator whose interests lie at the intersection between art, architecture and regenerative practices. In 2015 Federica founded KoozArch with the ambition of creating a space where to research, explore and discuss architecture beyond the limits of its built form. Parallel to her work at KoozArch, Federica is Architect at the architecture studio UNA and researcher at the non-profit agency for change UNLESS where she is project manager of the research "Antarctic Resolution". Federica is an Architectural Association School of Architecture in London alumni.