Olivier Rossel
Artist Researcher

Brandenburg University of Technology
Chair of Technoscience Studies
Building LG10, Erich-Weinert-Str. 1
D-03046 Cottbus, Germany

Mailing address: Hammerstrasse 74
CH-4057 Basel, Switzerland

post@olivierrossel.com
www.olivierrossel.com

Mobile +41 (0)78 889 18 85

RESEARCH

‚Intra-Axion! Tumbling Towards QCD Axion Dark Matter — The role of performative materialities in the transepistemic field of tension between art and new physics‘ abstract, proposal (*.pdf, german)

As a doctoral student at the Chair of Technoscience Studies at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus, Germany, Olivier currently researches QCD dark matter axions from an STS-informed artistic perspective. Therefore, he collaborates with the MADMAX-Experiment, which is located at the Max Planck Institute for Physics in Munich Garching, the DESY in Hamburg, and at the European Organization for Nuclear Research CERN in Geneva, Switzerland.

RECENT PUBLICATIONS

Artistic contribution to Egge et al. / MADMAX Collaboration, 2025. ‚First Search for Dark Photon Dark Matter with a madmax Prototype’‚ In Physical Review Letters 134, 151004

Key visual in collaboration with MADMAX in ‚Results of the first search for dark photons using a MADMAX prototype‘. Article by Ingrid Fadelli on Phys.org, 2025. Read the article on Phys.org

‚Intra-Axion! Research at the interface of art and experimental physics‘ — News article, Max Planck Institute for Physics, Munich, Garching, 2023, Read on MPP Website.

‚Images as vexing zones – Contextualising SARS CoV-2 in visual methodologies and the arts‘. In Research Series CultEnviroTech, Epistemic Cultures of Technology and Environment, Vol. (4), edited by Astrid Schwarz, Cottbus, 2024. https://doi.org/10.26127/BTUOpen-6744

ABOUT

Olivier Rossel (he / him) *1977 is an artist and lecturer working in various constellations and forms. Olivier embraces working in open explorative collaborations and roots his work in indisciplinary processes. His artworks range from digitally coded artworks, circuit-bent electronics, live-stream happenings, performances, experimental audio, and video works, artistic publishing in the form of zines, books, and vinyl records, to augmented reality sculptures.

Olivier teaches at the School of Arts in Aarau, and lectured at Institute for Post-industrial Design for over five years. He held guest lectures at the Institute Art Gender Nature at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Northwestern Switzerland, the Institute Trends & Identity ZHdK, Zürich University of the Arts, Kunsthalle Zürich, Propädeutikum Kunst & Design, SfG Bern/Biel, HEK Haus der elektronischen Künste Basel, and K’Werk Basel.

CONFERENCE CONTRIBUTIONS

EASST / 4S Amsterdam, the 2024 quadrennial joint meeting of the European Association for the Study of Science and Technology (EASST) and the Society for Social Studies of Science (4S). Contribution to the making & doing sessions with ‚Intra-Axion! – Epistemic tumbling in QCD axion dark matter physics‘

STS-hub.de, initial conference, 2023, ‚Circulations‘ Towards scholarly encounters amongst STS scholars in Germany. https://sts-hub.de/ with the talk ‚Intra-Axion! On the performativity of QCD axion dark matter‘ for the panel ‚Circulations between STS and the arts‘. Panel organized by Nadine Osbild (Technical University of Munich (TUM), Department of Science, Technology and Society (STS)) & Matthias Wieser (University of Klagenfurt (AAU), Department of Media & Communications (MK)

STS-hub.de, initial conference, 2023, ‚Circulations‘, organizing the panel ‚Ethics, Engaged STS & Co-Creation‘. The panel connects, explores, and questions a variety of (un-)conventional ways of doing STS, related to values that ethics has to offer. Contributions and subsequent open discussions will critically address inherited *-disciplinary guiding principles, tunnel visions in the co-creation of scientific expertise, and potentially urgent or yet highly problematic self-restraint in STS.

Conference #3 ‚Learning from Rhythmus Messy Cambio‘, Pilz Welle Lust Art Space, Basel 2023 (as organizer) Conference #3 explores the dynamic interplay of the three only seemingly separate themes of rhythm, messy, cambio, and invites reflection on how the terms relate to each other at the intersection of art and science. Contributors: Mariana Murcia, Barbara Meyer Cesta (Artist, Haus am Gern), Christoph Haffter (University of Basel, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences), Paquita Maria, Mathis Vass, Josefina Ausejo.

SARN (Swiss Artistic Research Network) ‚Traversing Topologies, Imagining worlds and knowledge with/through artistic research‘ 2021, contributing to ‚The Lure of Mycelial Space: Sharing Knowledge with/ through Mushrooms‘ with Ilka Becker (University of Applied Sciences in Mainz), Sarah Kolb (University of Art and Design Linz), Jutta Strohmaier (University of Art and Design Linz) Topic: As an experimental form of conferencing Traversing Topologies: Imagining worlds and knowledge with/through artistic research has been interested in ways of experiencing real topologies in alignment with the numerous versions of their abstraction and generalization. The conference revealed geographical and disciplinary fringes.

Conference #2 ‚Learning from Lust‘ Pilz Welle Lust Art Space, Basel 2021 (as organizer) The conference deals with topics of lust from scientific, activist, artistic, and non-normative perspectives. Speakers, and contributors: Anaïs Stein & Gabi Soliman (Luststreifen Festival Basel), Ingo Niermann (artist, writer) Ropunawa, Faye, Freya Hellesdim (shibari artists), Isith (Neuroscientists), Dimitra Charamandas (artist, food-centered arts), Pina Haas (University Of Basel), Sol & Angel (Musicians), Adrian Notz (ETH AI Center Zürich)

Conference #1 ‚Learning from Fungi‘ Pilz Welle Lust Art Space, Basel 2021 (as organizer) With Hannes Mangold (historian, Swiss National Library), Maya Hottarek (artist), Florian Walder (Agroscope, Swiss Center of Excellence for Agricultural Research), Ilhui Wicki (Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy & Psychosomatics, University of Zürich), Laurie Mlodzik & Mariana Murcia (artists, Institute Arts Gender Nature, HGK FHNW, Basel), Mycrobez (entrepreneurs, mycelium packaging)

EXHIBITIONS

45 salón nacional de artistas Bogotá Colombia, Swiss National Museum Zurich, Kunsthaus Pasquart Biel, Kunsthaus Langenthal, Kunsthalle St.Gallen, Helsinki Club Zürich, Espacio Odeon Bogotá, Museo Jumex Mexico City, Schwarzwaldallee Basel, I Never Read Artbook Fair Basel, Kunstvlaai Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam, Cabaret Voltaire Zürich, Kunsthalle Basel, Urgent Paradise Lausanne, Les Urbaines Lausanne, Musée d’ethnographie Neuchâtel, Depot Basel, Museo Internazionale E Biblioteca Della Musica Di Bologna, Sonnenstube Lugano, Lokal-Int Biel/Bienne, Espace Libre Biel, Manifesta Parallel Events Zürich, Die Diele Zürich, Spazio Morel Lugano, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Plattfon & Stampa Store Basel, Kunsthaus Hamburg, CAC Vilnius Lithuania, Konsulat Prättigau Warschau, among others

MEMBERSHIPS

Olivier is president of the Association Photoforum Pasquart Biel/Bienne, a member of the board of Fondation Kunsthaus Pasquart, and a founding member of the association Terrain Gurzelen. Olivier is part of Juice & Rispetta art collective and co-directs artist-run art space Pilz Welle Lust in Basel.

PRICES, RESIDENCIES, ACQUISITIONS, FUNDING

Laureate Extraordinary Cultural Merit, the City of Biel/Bienne, for Terrain Gurzelen (2020), laureate Prix Kunstverein, Biel/Bienne (2012). Residencies at Konsulat Prättigau Warsaw (2019), and Atelier Suisse Bruxelles (2012, funded by Fondation Anderfuhren and the city of Biel/Bienne). Artworks and publications of Olivier Rossel have been acquired and supported by the City of Biel/Bienne, the Canton of Berne, Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, Christoph Merian Stiftung, and Pro Helvetia, among others.

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