IllusiOcean, the unexpected sea makes its debut at the University of Milano-Bicocca

Let yourself be fascinated by the suggestive biodiversity of the sea and the secrets of its wonderful ecosystem through the language of illusions. Until January 31, 2022, the University of Milan-Bicocca hosts “IllusiOcean ™”, the exhibition conceived and coordinated by Paolo Galli, professor of ecology at the University, and created in collaboration with Mondadori Media and the National Cinema Museum of Turin. Among the aims of the exhibition dedicated to the sea is to raise awareness among civil society, schools of all levels, the academic world and the scientific community on the importance of achieving the objectives set by the United Nations for the decade of oceanic sciences for the sustainable development (2021-2030), in particular Objective 14: conserve and use oceans, seas and marine resources in a sustainable way.The exhibition is presented as an interactive experience along three thematic areas. The first area consists of four rooms and two corners, each able to tell an aspect about the sea: from the biodiversity of tropical marine ecosystems to the problem of plastic pollution. The journey begins with the corner dedicated to “Virtual Reality”: thanks to the 3D viewers it will be possible to explore the wonders of the reefs and discover the activity of coral restoration. Here, moreover, it will be possible to simulate the sensory experience of an underwater geyser and enjoy the spectacle of nature. In the “Submarine of Illusions” it will be possible to immerse yourself in the depths of the Maldives, an archipelago that hosts the largest coral reefs in the world: an area of ​​over 4500 km2 of extraordinary biodiversity and nearly 300 different species of coral. In this room, visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the marine organisms that find shelter here. To do this, they will have to sharpen the senses: walking from one side of the space to the other you will see the figures shrink or enlarge and algae and fish transform into curious shapes. marine animals widespread in the seas all over the world, where they float driven by currents. Among the luminous umbrellas of these creatures, it will be possible to see the traces of the human threat called pollution. This room was designed with the support of the master glassmaker of Murano, Fabio Fornasier, who created jellyfish in glass according to the characteristic manual processing and reproduced – also in glass – the plastic objects that plague our seas. Sea under the Spotlight, cinema tells the oceans ”was born from a collaboration with the National Cinema Museum of Turin. Here it will be possible to live a new interactive experience to get to know all the magic of underwater cinema, through films, objects and unique curiosities. «The relationship between man and sea has always been one of the recurring themes in the history of cinema» underlined Domenico De Gaetano, director of the National Cinema Museum, «the fascination of the underwater world lends itself well to illusions and special effects. We are very happy with this prestigious collaboration, which allows us to tell another fascinating theme of the Seventh Art. ”The sea is a treasure chest that contains many different species of animals and plants: some are easy to identify, others hide and blend in. To recognize them, you need an expert eye, patience and a lot of attention. In the “Labyrinth of marine secrets” children from three to five years old can have fun looking for them by getting lost in the walls of this special room. The second corner, “Message in a Bottle”, will take us back in time, to when the letters were enclosed in the glass bottles and delivered to the sea currents that carried them ashore. Fortunately, today there is no need to throw a message into the oceans to communicate with the world: through the “sea of ​​the web”, each visitor will be able to launch their own message of hope to be launched on social media by entering a virtual glass bottle. hosts 30 giant posters, taken by some of the greatest experts in underwater photography – including Massimo Boyer – depicting the evocative illusions created by nature that make our oceans even more spectacular: the mimicry of some species of fish, for example, or the phenomenon that generates the effect of underwater waterfalls in Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean.The third block is dedicated to the work carried out by the students of the Vittorio Veneto Scientific High Schools in Milan and Luigi Cremona of Milan and the Emilio Sereni Agricultural Technical Institute in Rome . In recent months, about 500 students have participated in the “Pathways for Transversal Skills and for Orientation” by designing and creating parts of the exhibition: reconstructions of models of the seabed, scientific games, illustrative posters, drawings and audio guides for visitors. ‘ ‘With IllusiOcean Milano-Bicocca takes another important step towards the restart, welcoming schools, families and citizens to discover an exhibition dedicated to the sea. We are happy to inaugurate this exhibition which, thanks to the language of illusions, is not only entertaining, but also able to make us reflect on one of the priorities set by the UN 2030 Agenda: the protection of sea health. A challenge that sees our researchers engaged every day in the study of sustainable development solutions for the protection of the marine ecosystem ” declared the Vice Rector, Marco Orlandi. The exhibition is free and open to citizens every Friday from 11 to 18 and on Saturdays, twice a month, at the same times, at the Science Gallery (Buildings U1 / U2, floor -1 Piazza della Scienza, Milan). To access it is necessary to book on the illusiocean.it website and to present the green pass at the entrance. In addition, every Tuesday and Thursday morning, from 8 to 10 or from 11 to 13, by writing to [email protected], it is possible to book guided tours reserved for schools. Thanks to the collaboration with Mondadori Media, from the end of October the exhibition ” IllusiOcean ™ ”will also be available online, exclusively on the Focus website, the most widely read monthly in Italy, a reference point for enthusiasts and curious about technology, science, nature, medicine and innovation. By accessing the dedicated section of Focus.it., Visitors will be able to navigate in immersive mode inside the rooms of illusions and discover, along the virtual path, numerous curiosities about the sea and its inhabitants. ” The Bicocca University exhibition organized by Professor Paolo Galli on optical illusions and the sea is original, stimulating and fun. Three adjectives that have always been part of Focus’s DNA and it therefore came naturally to us to offer our partnership to IllusiOcean. Partnership that, in addition to narrating and describing the exhibition, will allow you to virtually visit it on Focus.it »said the director of Focus, Raffaele Leone. «Original because it was born from an original and creative idea; stimulating because it wants to push us to reflect on the wonders of the sea and on the need to preserve them; fun because the communication mode is playful with the special effects of optical illusions. Could Focus not have been there? ” The experience with ‘IllusiOcean’ is not limited to the exhibition. Throughout the period of the exhibition, a rich program of initiatives promoted by Focus and Focus Junior, the magazine that is a point of reference in the kids’ world, is expected to sensitize readers, teachers and students about the marine world and deepen the themes of the initiative. Starting from the issue of Focus on newsstands this month, entirely dedicated to the importance of water: from the cycle of the sea, the true liquid engine of the Planet, to the life of the cetaceans that populate the waters of our Peninsula, up to the story of the clinic of corals in the Maldives islands, with many special contents not to be missed. Every week, on focusjunior.it and on the magazine’s social channels, young people will also find insights and curiosities on the themes developed by the exhibition, but not only. In fact, they will be able to share photos, articles, ideas and suggestions for taking care of the seas and oceans with the editorial staff, by sending them to the email address [email protected]: the most original contents will be published online and in the magazine. “Children and young people are worried about climate change and the future of the planet: as always, Focus Junior will give voice to their thoughts and their proposals,” said Sarah Pozzoli, director of Focus Junior ”. The exhibition is sponsored by the Italian Society of Ecology (S.It.E), the Lombardy Region and the Municipality of Milan.