by Houda Bakkali
In this article, I will share my journey through digital art and its ability to transcend physical, spatial, and generational boundaries. Last year, the European Commission and the Alliance Française of Madrid invited me to give a talk at the Europe Pavilion during the 83rd Madrid Book Fair. My presentation focused on the challenges and opportunities that the pairing of new technologies and creativity presents for artists and for society as a whole. At the time, my work was being exhibited at the Alliance in Delhi and also in Abu Dhabi. Both exhibitions influenced each other, complemented one another, and merged different versions, physical and virtual. It was a perfect example of how technologies like augmented reality and immersive spaces can transcend borders.
Shortly after, my work became part of the exhibition spaces of more than 24 branches of this French educational institution in over 20 countries. In many cases, the exhibitions were simultaneous, and audiences from different cultures, religions, and languages viewed the same pieces at the same time, in different versions, from the most distant corners of the world and with the most diverse sensibilities.
The central theme was always to turn each encounter into an approach to digital culture, its tools, its challenges, and its opportunities.
It was a unique and enriching experience that continues to grow to this day, where digital art —in all its forms— becomes a tool for bringing people together through diversity. It unites cultures, builds bridges, and stimulates debate around an ecosystem that is not new, but is rich in nuance and innovation. Art becomes more universal than ever, and new technologies help universalize it, democratize it, and transform it into something accessible, understandable, and useful. A powerful tool that empowers artists and creatives, opening up new opportunities not only in the artistic field, but also by giving them access to new ecosystems such as healthcare, tourism, or education, allowing us to apply our style to each creation.
Public and private institutions embrace these tools as a new link with their communities, beautifying their cities and internationalizing their projects in a more playful and dynamic way, helping them connect with diverse audiences eager to discover new ways of presenting timeless art. Every day, it’s becoming more common to see museums, public spaces, and institutions of all kinds adopt immersive art to attract attention and create greater impact through interactive, multisensory spaces that invite the public to become active participants and engage in two-way communication with each exhibit. This unique versatility allows for the infinite creation and recreation of messages in real time, impact measurement, and personalized content.
It’s an art form that promotes experiences and allows us to live traditional culture through innovation. To preserve the legacy and build the future. To adopt new ways of understanding our physical environment by creating intersections between the virtual and the material. To generate communication that is more original and playful and, above all, to reinforce one of the great values of this duality: bringing art —all art— to all audiences, without limits, and without spatial, temporal, or generational barriers. To universalize its knowledge and creative process, uniting us through diversity and our shared commitment to an innovative and constructive future.
