German artist Carsten Höller has a twisted sense of humour if his new exhibition in Milan is anything to go by. ‘Doubt’ divides the darkened space of Pirelli HangarBicocca into a parallel duet of artworks, and it is here that ringmaster Höller coaxes, corrals and cajoles visitors into a complex and oft-dizzying array of interactive installations.
Visitors are prompted at the start of the show to follow one of two forked paths through a pitch-black, labyrinthine path (Decision Corridors, 2015) before being thrust into Höller’s mad funhouse. ‘You might have the feeling that you are missing out on something because there is always another possibility, or there is always another way to do it,’ the artist says. It’s Choose Your Own Adventure with a dizzying dose of carnival chaos.
Höller devotees will recognise many of the works on show from his major London exhibition at Hayward Gallery last summer. Inside HangarBicocca’s vast halls, the gargantuan pieces get a new lease of life against the gallery’s soaring ceilings – and the darkness lends itself well to a dazzling ballet of flashing lights.
The artist's Upside-Down Goggles (1994/2011) turns the exhibition topsy-turvy and into a positively hallucinatory (and even nauseating) experience; a pair of chair swing rides motor slowly along with a comical sense of anticlimax; while more adventurous visitors can experience the sensation of flight in Two Flying Machines (2015). Meanwhile, French artist Philippe Parreno makes a cameo at his friend’s show, presenting two lighting works from his recent exhibition in the space – a nod to the notion of collaboration linked to the practice of both artists.
At the end of the show, a near-blinding light installation unites visitors in the centre of the gallery’s Cubo space, where two single hospital beds await, drifting slowly and endlessly – a welcome respite from the frenzy (and also available to visitors who wish to spend the night). Just one token of advice: come with an empty stomach.
Inside HangarBicocca’s vast halls, the gargantuan pieces get a new lease of life against the gallery’s soaring ceilings. Pictured: Double Carousel, 2011. Courtesy the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
Höller devotees will recognise many of the works on show from his major London exhibition at Hayward Gallery last summer, such as Flying Mushrooms, 2015. Courtesy the artist, Gagosian Gallery and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
The darkened space lends itself well to a dazzling ballet of flashing lights. Pictured: Top Mode Africa (Monument à la Sape), 2013, with Rigobert Nimi. Courtesy of the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
Pictured from left: Double Neon Elevator, 2016; and Revolving Doors, 2004/2016. Courtesy the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
French artist Philippe Parreno makes a cameo at his friend’s show, presenting two lighting works – Marquee, 2015, and Yellow/Orange Double Sphere, 2016 – from his recent exhibition in the same space. Courtesy the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
Installation view of Milan Swinging Corridor, 2016. Courtesy the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
At the end of the exhibition, a near-blinding light installation unites visitors in the centre of the gallery’s Cubo space...
... where Two Roaming Beds (Grey), 2015, await, drifting slowly and endlessly. They offer a welcome respite from the frenzy and are also available to visitors who wish to spend the night. Courtesy the artist and Pirelli HangarBicocca, Milan
INFORMATION
‘Doubt’ is on view until 31 July. For more information, visit Pirelli HangarBicocca’s website
Photography: Attilio Maranzano
ADDRESS
Pirelli HangarBicocca
Via Chiese 2
20126 Milano
-
Highlights from the transporting Cruise 2026 showsThe Cruise 2026 season began yesterday with a Chanel show at Lake Como, heralding the start of a series of jet-setting, destination runway shows from fashion’s biggest houses
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
Premium patisserie Naya is Mayfair’s latest sweet spotHeritage meets opulence at Naya bakery in Mayfair, London. With interiors by India Hicks and Anna Goulandris, the patisserie looks good enough to eat
-
25 artists reimagine the teapot at Milan Design Week 2025Come to Loewe’s cross-cultural tea party: pots of fun in Milan as artists, designers and architects celebrate the universal comfort of tea
-
Inside the unexpected collaboration between Marni’s Francesco Risso and artists Slawn and SoldierNew exhibition ‘The Pink Sun’ will take place at Francesco Risso’s palazzo in Milan in collaboration with Saatchi Yates, opening after the Marni show today, 26 February
-
What makes fashion and art such good bedfellows?There has always been a symbiosis between fashion and the art world. Here, we look at what makes the relationship such a successful one
-
Carsten Höller’s new Book of Games: 336 playful pastimes for the bold and the boredArtist Carsten Höller invites readers to step out of their comfort zone with a series of subversive games
-
Remembering Oliviero Toscani, fashion photographer and author of provocative Benetton campaignsBest known for the controversial adverts he shot for the Italian fashion brand, former art director Oliviero Toscani has died, aged 82
-
Distracting decadence: how Silvio Berlusconi’s legacy shaped Italian TVStefano De Luigi's monograph Televisiva examines how Berlusconi’s empire reshaped Italian TV, and subsequently infiltrated the premiership
-
Louis Fratino leans into queer cultural history in ItalyLouis Fratino’s 'Satura', on view at the Centro Pecci in Italy, engages with queer history, Italian landscapes and the body itself
-
Out of office: what the Wallpaper* editors have been doing this weekA snowy Swiss Alpine sleepover, a design book fest in Milan, and a night with Steve Coogan in London – our editors' out-of-hours adventures this week
