The international IMMENSIVA London-Barcelona 2024 residency, organised by ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture in collaboration with the Royal College of Art (RCA) and Off Site Project, brought together six emerging artists from Catalonia and the UK in an interdisciplinary programme designed to explore and expand the possibilities of immersive technologies in contemporary art.
Dates and structure of the programme:
- London (24-30 June 2024): Research and conceptualisation at the Royal College of Art.
- Barcelona (15-26 July 2024): Development and prototyping at ESPRONCEDA, with access to advanced technologies and cultural visits.
Participating artists:
- Arnau Casanoves (@arnaucasanoves): multidisciplinary creations oscillating between nihilism and idealism, using techniques such as robotics, textiles and sound art.
- Adam Cole (@adamcole.studio): immersive experiences that redefine traditional cinema through AI and digital technology.
- Shae Myles (@shae.guava): visual narratives that combine playful elements with intimate and provocative themes.
- Didac Navarro (@ddidac.naso): virtual stories created with Unreal Engine and extended reality technologies.
- Jess Pemberton (@jess_pemberton): exploring the dysfunction between the virtual and natural worlds in interactive experiences.
- Gerard Valls Montaño (@bybygerardardvisuals): hybrid installations that transform physical spaces into socially resonant atmospheres.
London phase: research and conceptualisation
During a week at the Royal College of Art, the residents participated in:
- Workshops and guided tours: explorations at institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, Gazelli Art House, and immersive experiences at 180 Strand.
- Creative collaborations: networking with local experts and artists to discuss the historical roots and future projections of immersive technologies.
- Concept development: creation of proposals for projects to be developed in the second phase in Barcelona.
Barcelona phase: development of prototypes
At ESPRONCEDA, the artists materialised their ideas during two intensive weeks:
- Access to advanced technology: virtual and augmented reality tools and 3D sound systems.
- Cultural inspiration: visits to emblematic places such as Casa Batlló, Torre Glòries, and the CCCB.
- Collaborative prototypes: creating immersive works that merge art and technology, highlighting the transformative potential of these tools.
Final presentation: exploring the value of the human body
The culminating project was presented at ESPRONCEDA, questioning how society assigns value to the human body. Through a striking installation that included:
- An animated plastic organ confined in a structure evoking a rib cage.
- A video installation that confronts icons of classical beauty with kitsch figures to challenge hierarchies of value.
This project connected discarded artefacts and archetypes, raising questions about obsolescence, social discard and the possibility of rebirth, subverting traditional narratives about the valuable and the rejected.
Conclusion
The IMMENSIVA London-Barcelona 2024 residency not only marked a milestone in digital art, but demonstrated how interdisciplinary collaboration and advanced technologies can transform the way we understand and experience immersive art.
For more information and future updates, visit our social media at @esproncedabcn, our website www.espronceda.net and immensiva.com.
