The IMMENSIVA 2024 Festival cemented its position as a key event at the intersection of art, technology and innovation, bringing together creative minds and thought leaders to explore the possibilities of the digital future. The festival was structured around three main pillars: IMMENSIVADAY, IMMENSIVA RESIDENCE and IMMENSIVA EXPO.
IMMENSIVA DAY: exploring the future of art, technology and innovation
IMMENSIVA DAY , held on 18 September at the Fundació Epica Fura dels Baus, was notable for being a day packed with inspiring presentations and panel discussions exploring advances in extended reality (XR), haptic technology and interdisciplinary art.
Keynote speakers:
- Xiao Yu: Presented wearable haptic interfaces in RX.
- Aurélie Delater: Highlighted EU support for art and technology projects.
- Michael Barngrover: Discussed the role of XR4Europe in European technology.
- Fran Iglesias: Shared how technology is applied to digital art.
- Xavi Bové: Presented his project GAUDÍ’S EVOLUTION, an immersive experience in the Sagrada Familia.
The day ended with a round table, entitled ‘The Digital Art Ecosystem’, which reflected on the future of technology in the arts.
IMMENSIVA RESIDENCE: innovation through interdisciplinary collaboration
The IMMENSIVA Residency was a two-week creative space where artists, technologists and scientists collaborated to integrate emerging technologies with artistic narratives. The resulting projects encompassed
- Immersive installations combining science and art.
- Digital tools designed to foster co-creation.
- Innovative prototypes that explore the limits of human perception in virtual environments.
IMMENSIVA EXPO: showcasing the art and technology of the future
EXPO IMMENSIVA was the grand finale of the festival and was held at ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art and Culture from 17 to 25 September. This event showcased:
Outstanding projects:
- PLUJA D’IL.LUSIONS / SUPERCÈL:
- Artists: Fran Macia, Niall Hill, Rafa Roeder.
- Description: An immersive installation that takes participants on a cloud-seeding mission in a world affected by a 388-day drought, using augmented reality technology developed at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
- ASSEMBLIES:
- Artists: Gerard Valls, Ryan Cherewaty, Rachel Heavey.
- Description: A work inspired by Edouard Glissant’s ‘archipelagic thinking’, exploring the sustainable impacts of urban development using data from the Catalan nanosatellite ‘Menut’.
- GAZE Machine:
- Artist: Solimán López.
Description: An interactive work that allows participants to ‘paint’ with their gaze, using a camera that tracks eye movements and transforms the eye into a tool for visual creation.
