Exhibition "Doppio Sguardo. Riflessioni Visive", from 7 to 23 November in Lugano

From 7 to 23 November at Villa Ciani in Lugano it will be possible to visit the photographic exhibition "Doppio Sguardo. Riflessioni Visive', a Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) project financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) as part of the Agora programme. The project was directed by Prof. Katharina Lobinger (Project Leader), Associate Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society and Vice-Director of the Institute of Digital Technologies for Communication (ITDxC), and coordinated by Federico Lucchesi (Project Coordinator), Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society and researcher at ITDxC.

Visual practices, such as taking selfies or posting photos on social media, evoke mixed feelings. On one hand, they may carry a negative stigma; conversely, they can play a vital role in maintaining interpersonal relationships. The photographic exhibition "Doppio Sguardo" was created to encourage students, educators, and the wider Ticino public to reflect on the potential meanings of images. It aims to provide tools for enhancing visual literacy and to engage participants in a discussion about the significance of images."We want to invite people to rethink photography as something more than just a visual representation. An image is also a physical object infused with meanings that can only be understood by examining how and why it is created and used in everyday communication," explained Professor Katharina Lobinger, project director.

The exhibition will feature seventeen panels, each displaying an image from two different perspectives, creating a dual viewpoint. To ensure the anonymity of the individuals depicted in the photographs while maintaining high image quality, artificial intelligence (AI) has been utilised to recreate the images. This approach results in visuals that closely resemble the original compositions but represent people and contexts that do not actually exist. The concept of emphasising the contrast between the positive role images can play in social interactions and the negative public perception surrounding them—such as the discomfort many feel when taking selfies in public—originates from a four-year research project conducted at USI and funded by the SNSF. The project, "Visualised Relationships - Functions and Problems (ViRe)" directed by Prof. Katharina Lobinger and coordinated by Federico Lucchesi, ended in 2022 and, by analysing data from ninety interviews, highlighted ambivalence in the perception of images.

The eLab took part in its development, especially on the teaching side, and the operational team also included Giorgia Jaccard-Mora (eLab), Paola Tallarico (co-applicant, Studio Its), Vera Bianda and Roland Hochstrasser.

Since images represent an increasingly present element in our daily lives, the exhibition aims to raise public awareness on the subject, proposing to the youngest, and to the population in general, a correct literacy with respect to images and their complexity, which requires the ability to observe the contents with a critical eye. The ability to read and interpret images is of primary importance nowadays, as they can influence our perceptions, but also our social relations and identity. The primary goal of the "Doppio Sguardo" project is to cultivate more informed citizens. The Agora program seeks to foster dialogue between science and society, bridging the gap that often exists between researchers and the public. This objective is also central to the "Doppio Sguardo" exhibition, which aims to provide clear and engaging communication to capture public interest. Consequently, the exhibition was designed with a strong emphasis on educational elements.

 It will be possible to visit the exhibition Thursdays and Fridays from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and, Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm.

On Thursdays and Fridays, it will also be possible to organise guided tours for middle and secondary schools; booking is possible via the form available at the following link. Admission to the exhibition will be free of charge.

The project has also been made possible thanks to the collaboration of numerous partners: the patronage of the City of Lugano and the patronage of the City of Bellinzona, the DECS, the Cantonal Library of Bellinzona, the Office for Analysis and Digital Cultural Heritage (in the persons of Roland Hochstrasser and Davide Rotondo) and Peter Grönquist, who collaborated on the generation of the images with AI.