The exhibition Outro e sobre si, by artist Andrés Rodís, opened its doors to the public this Thursday at the Gaiás Museum in the Cidade da Cultura. The exhibition is the result of the first edition of the IGFAE ArtLab Residency, an initiative by the Xunta de Galicia and USC that was launched in 2025 to weave connections between research in particle physics and contemporary Galician creation. Outro e sobre si can be visited free of charge on floor 1 of the Centro Gaiás Museum until 10 January 2027.
The opening ceremony was attended, alongside the artist, by the Director General of Culture of the Xunta de Galicia, Anxo M. Lorenzo; USC Vice-Rector for Research and Open Science, Almudena Hospido; IGFAE Director, Carlos Salgado; and Managing Director of the Cidade da Cultura Foundation, Ana Isabel Vázquez. As part of the exhibition opening, IGFAE also hosted meeting with Andrés Rodís, open to the general public and during which the artist talked to IGFAE research staff. The conversation aimed to continue the dialogue between the arts and sciences initiated through this residency, exploring the paths followed by the Other and on Itself project.
An approach to quantum physics through artistic creation
The proposal of Andrés Rodís (born in Santiago de Compostela in 2000) addresses some of the principles of quantum mechanics through 25 pieces, including paintings, collages, digital prints and a video projection. These theories, developed in the 1920s, not only revolutionised particle physics but also transformed human perceptions of reality and had a profound influence on philosophy and the arts.
Through his interactions with IGFAE research staff during his stay at the centre in early 2026, the artist from Santiago de Compostela explored principles such as Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle and the concept of superposition, two of the pillars of quantum physics. He was also able to learn about the technologies and experiments that validate these theoretical principles, reflecting on how measurement itself affects what is observed, as well as exploring in greater depth the debate surrounding the signal-to-noise pair. Subsequently, Andrés Rodís completed the residency at the REGA spaces of the Cidade da Cultura, where he gave shape to the pieces that make up Outro e sobre si.
IGFAE Labs
This artistic residency is part of IGFAE’s commitment to directing its work towards research and innovation that are more responsible towards society. Following its accreditation as a María de Maeztu Unit of Excellence — obtained in 2017 and renewed in 2024 — the joint centre of USC and the Xunta de Galicia launched IGFAE Labs, programmes conceived as meeting spaces for the arts (ArtLab), education (EduLab) and technology transfer (TechLab).
Within the framework of ArtLab, dialogue series such as Transfronteirizas, running since 2020, and exhibitions such as Cosmologías (Irene Dubrovsky, Pazo de Fonseca, 2019) and Instruments of Vision (with Armin Linke, Mónica Bello and Arts at CERN, Igrexa da Universidade, 2024) have emerged.
Call open for the 2nd edition
The Cidade da Cultura de Galicia Foundation and IGFAE launched the second call for this residency in September. Applications will remain open until 1 February 2027. Proposals may take any format, provided they relate to the scientific areas in which IGFAE staff work.
The selected proposal will be able to become part of IGFAE’s day-to-day activities for a minimum of three weeks and a maximum of eight, with access to a workspace, interaction with the Institute’s staff, and scientific and artistic mentoring. The residency will subsequently continue at the REGA spaces of the Cidade da Cultura (for a minimum of one week and a maximum of six), where, in addition to a dedicated workspace, the equipment and technical and human resources needed to bring the project to life will be provided.
