On March 25, the Reial Cercle Artístic of Barcelona hosted the presentation of a new work by Houda Bakkali, marking the first exhibition in the institution’s 140-year history to integrate mixed-media painting with augmented reality, multimedia and interactive content. The project established a structured dialogue between traditional artistic practices and digital technologies within a historically significant cultural setting.

The exhibition situates contemporary digital methodologies within a space rooted in artistic heritage, using the venue as a framework to examine how emerging technologies can expand conventional modes of visual expression while remaining connected to established artistic traditions.

The project explores the application of augmented reality and digital tools as extensions of traditional art practices, demonstrating how these technologies allow artworks to operate beyond the physical exhibition space. This approach highlights the potential of digital art to function across cultural, educational and interdisciplinary contexts, broadening its scope of interpretation and use.

Through the integration of interactive layers, multimedia content and immersive elements, the exhibition illustrates how digital formats enable multiple narrative levels, real-time audience interaction and enhanced accessibility. Augmented reality, in particular, functions as a mechanism for revealing additional layers of content and facilitating educational and interpretative engagement with the artwork.

The project positions digital technologies not as replacements for traditional media, but as complementary tools that extend the reach, adaptability and communicative capacity of contemporary art, reinforcing its role within evolving institutional and public contexts.