The MYSTIC PLAYGROUND workshop at HEAD in Geneva

From 19 to 23 February, during the 'Semaine de Tous les Possibles', the curatorial project IN Residence - by Barbara Brondi and Marco Rainò - brings a workshop to Switzerland to explore the convergences between play, mysticism, and quantum mechanics: MYSTIC PLAYGROUND, conducted by emerging design talents Teresa Fernández-Pello and Studio Ossidiana, who will be the tutors of these four days of full immersion in design. Participation in the workshop is open to fourteen HEAD students from the Design + Visual Arts department and ten other participants who can apply for a scholarship or buy a ticket.


STLP AI Workshop TRANSFORMATION SOUVENIR © R.Mueller

Delving into the quantum world reveals a mystique that challenges classical intuition, inviting us to explore inexplicable dimensions in the fabric of reality. The quantum domain confronts physicists with a reality that transcends the limits of human understanding, echoing philosophical research thousands of years old. Thus playgrounds, whether physical or metaphorical, become spaces in which to navigate the mysteries of existence: microcosms in which the rules of reality are momentarily suspended, just as the rules of reality are suspended in the exploration of quantum mechanics. The playground therefore becomes a metaphor for transience. A temporary world, which emerges as a symbolic exploration of the ephemeral nature of our experiences. Life, in its essence, can be read as a series of temporary worlds - places where we explore, learn, connect and grow - in which the definition of space can take a symbolic and blurred form.

What are the characteristics of a contemporary “mystical playground”? How can they be interpreted and activated through the lever of design? The workshop aims to explore the area where mysticism, quantum mechanics and play converge, embracing the complexity of the universe - a vast playground in its own right, a place where mysteries are revealed and where the journey itself becomes a destination.


Campus HEAD © HEAD Geneve ph. Jimmy Roura

IN Residence Design Workshop #18 “MYSTIC PLAYGROUND” will take place in Geneva, Switzerland, in the prestigious context of HEAD - Haute École d'Art et de Design, in partnership with BertO, which has made available 5 scholarships, a total coverage of workshop registration costs (excluding travel and accommodation costs). To participate in the selection, candidates are invited to send CV, portfolio and motivation letter to info@inresidence-design.com by January 19, 2024.