Until February 23, 2025, the Cattedrale Ex Macello in Padua is hosting an absolutely original and unmissable event: Super Fun! Selfie and 3D Illusions .
What is “Super Fun! Selfies and 3D Illusions”?
Prosecuzione ideale della Mostra delle Illusioni svoltasi nella stessa sede nel 2023, è una mostra interattiva che permette a bambini e adulti di compiere un viaggio tra sogno e realtà attraverso un percorso espositivo originale e sorprendente. Ci immergeremo infatti in un mondo di illusioni ottiche, giochi di prospettiva, scenografie spettacolari e situazioni surreali, dove sarà il visitatore a diventare protagonista assoluto.
What Will We See at the Exhibition?
The exhibition path includes 30 dynamic installations featuring:
- A wide variety of attractions based on perspective illusions. Scenic designs using perspective studies create effects that alter proportions, giving life to spectacular images perfect for taking extraordinary photos and selfies.
- A section dedicated to the phenomenon of metamerism, exploring the different perception of colors depending on light exposure.
- Mirror games that distort the perception of bodily space.
- 3D images with an impressive sense of depth and volume.
- A section on Augmented Reality (AR), enhancing sensory perception with information visitors can experience using their own smartphones.
- Incredible Virtual Reality experiences that immerse visitors in entirely new dimensions.
What Are the Must-See Attractions?
Tra le installazioni più amate ci sono:
- The Surprise Floor: Walk on a floor that seems to crumble beneath your feet.
- The Teleportation Room: Using augmented reality, it will feel like you’re traveling across the world in just a few seconds.
- The Wave Tunnel: Immerse yourself in a sea of effects that will disorient you… in a fun way!
Fun and Learning
This exhibition isn’t just about amazement and wonder; it’s also an opportunity to learn through play and entertainment. The entire event is built around the concept of “EDUTAINMENT”—a combination of education and entertainment. Many sections provide explanations of optical phenomena and the tricks used to create these illusions. It’s a chance to uncover how our brains work and why reality sometimes isn’t exactly as it seems!
Super Fun! Selfie and 3D Illusions is more than just an exhibition; it’s a new and engaging experience that sparks imagination and creativity while offering moments of learning and play. It’s sure to captivate and surprise visitors of all ages!
Perception, Art, and Science: Why These Themes Are Interconnected and Tied to the City of Padua
Perception is a vast and fascinating subject that has drawn interest for decades, from developmental and cognitive psychology studies to artistic expertise on illusion—the magic that captivates the eye and sometimes deceives it.
Perception, art, and science have been closely intertwined and connected to the city of Padua since 1919, the year the Department of Psychology was established at the University of Padua. It was here that scholars Vittorio Benussi and Cesare Musatti introduced the principles of Gestalt psychology to Italy—a psychological movement focused on perception, learning, and experience. These principles later inspired the artistic movement “Gruppo N” in the 1960s, with its studies on visual perception.
Gli artisti del Gruppo N, tra cui ricordiamo il padovano di adozione Alberto Biasi, spopolarono con le loro opere ottico-cinetiche. E in quegli stessi anni Fabio Metelli, succeduto a Musatti nella direzione dell’Istituto, contribuiva al campo di studi con pregevoli ricerche sperimentali sulla percezione visiva del movimento, sull’organizzazione figura-sfondo, sull’identità fenomenica, sulla percezione della causalità, sulla percezione della trasparenza.
Exhibitions, Illusions, and the New Center “CArPe”
Padua has recently paid tribute to the experiments of those years and the magical world suspended between art and science with the exhibition “L’occhio in gioco” (“The Eye at Play”), curated by psychology professors Giovanni Galfano, Andrea Bobbio, and Massimo Grassi from the University of Padua, along with Guido Bartorelli.
The scientific interest in the influence of perception and illusions in art remains strong to this day. In 2024, the University of Padua established the Centre for the Study of Perception and Art (CArPe), an interdisciplinary research center focused on analyzing perception and exploring the broader role of art and aesthetics in people’s lives.
Therefore, the Exhibition of Illusions in 2023 and the current Super Fun! Selfie and 3D Illusions exhibition, held at the Cattedrale Ex Macello in Padua, align with the ongoing exploration of the world of science, perception, art, and technology.
Useful Information for Visiting the Exhibition “SuperFun! Selfie and 3D Illusions”
Location
Cattedrale Ex Macello in Padua
Via Alvise Cornaro, 1
Distance from ApartmentsPadova: [View Map]
Opening Hours
Monday to Sunday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM (last admission at 6:00 PM)
Info and Reservations
Phone: (+39) 393 6442917
Website: www.superfun.it
Email: mostrapadova@superfun.it