ARTFEED — Contemporary Art Intelligence

Carsten Höller's 'Doubt' at Pirelli HangarBicocca: An Invitation to Infestation

exhibition · 2026-05-05

Carsten Höller's exhibition 'Doubt' at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan, curated by Vicente Todolí, runs until July 31, 2016. The show invites viewers to undergo a 'rattification' process, transforming into rats within the exhibition space. This participatory experience challenges conventional urban norms, where derattification (rat removal) is standard, but here the reverse is celebrated. The artist creates an alienating and hallucinatory environment, encouraging visitors to embrace their role as 'infesting' agents. The text, written by NABA Visual Arts and Curatorial Studies students as part of a Critical Writing course, reframes art criticism as a journey through the works. The exhibition is part of a series of recent Milan shows explored by the students, aiming to cross disciplinary boundaries in contemporary art storytelling.

Key facts

  • Carsten Höller's exhibition 'Doubt' is at Pirelli HangarBicocca in Milan.
  • The exhibition is curated by Vicente Todolí.
  • It runs until July 31, 2016.
  • The show involves a 'rattification' process where visitors become rats.
  • The concept inverts the usual urban practice of derattification (rat removal).
  • The experience is described as alienating and hallucinatory.
  • The text was produced by NABA students in a Critical Writing course.
  • The exhibition is part of a series of recent Milan shows analyzed by the students.

Entities

Artists

  • Carsten Höller

Institutions

  • Pirelli HangarBicocca
  • NABA (Nuova Accademia di Belle Arti)

Locations

  • Milan
  • Italy

Sources