Houda Bakkali Unveils Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age on World Book Day 2023

Houda Bakkali Presents ‘Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age’ on World Book Day 2023

On the occasion of World Book Day 2023, the Casa de Castilla-La Mancha in Madrid hosts the presentation “Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age”, a forward-looking proposal focused on the application of new technologies to cultural creation, developed under the artistic direction of Houda Bakkali.

Augmented reality, the metaverse, Web3, and artificial intelligence form the foundation of this multidisciplinary and educational project, which will be unveiled on April 22 at 12:00 PM in the institution’s main auditorium. Attendees will also experience the project through an immersive format and multiple augmented reality activations, expanding the narrative beyond the physical presentation.

At the heart of the event stands Dulcinea, positioned as a central figure in a contemporary re-reading of Don Quijote de la Mancha. Through her, the project seeks to reclaim the female figure and to place her at the center of a new digital and cultural discourse.

Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age

Within the framework of the World Book Day 2023 tribute, “Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age” is presentedan artistic and educational project created by Houda Bakkali that brings together a range of multimedia, audiovisual, immersive, and educational proposals designed to connect with new audiences, conveying the universal values of Don Quijote de la Mancha through new technological tools.

In the words of José Fernando Sánchez Ruiz, President of the Casa de Castilla-La Mancha in Madrid: “With this project, we approach digitalization as a constructive tool, confident that our commitment to preserving the heritage of Castilla-La Mancha will grow among new audiences and generations through the use of new tools that allow us to break space-time barriers. The union of tradition and modernity not only serves to extend each one, but also to bring together different perspectives for the future. On this occasion, the core point of connection is one of the most widely disseminated global icons: Don Quixote. We are Don Quixote. We rely on the novel and its characters because they are ours—our form of expression for more than four centuries.

“Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age” is a global and multidisciplinary project in which Houda Bakkali, focuses on continuing the universalization of Don Quixote through avant-garde tools, collaborative concepts, and artistic expressions that seek a balance between the analog and the digital, connecting with new audiences beyond the lands of La Mancha.”

La Mancha and Don Quixote Seen Through Augmented Reality

Augmented Reality, Metaverse, Web3, and Artificial Intelligence

“Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age” proposes a multidisciplinary digital vision, based not only on artistic creation through digital platforms, but also on the development of new platforms designed to amplify cultural messages and content.

In the words of Houda Bakkali: “This project seeks to convey a dynamic vision of art, open to the world and capable of constant reinvention, both in a productive and playful sense, over time and without spatial limitations. The educational component represents an essential pillar. It is about sharing tools with the public, explaining creative processes, and also discussing and evaluating the usefulness of new concepts and paradigms in art.”

In this spirit, “Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age” will feature a series of theoretical and practical workshops, open to the public and led by Houda Bakkali, focusing on the tools, advantages, and challenges of concepts such as augmented reality, the metaverse, Web3, and artificial intelligence, among others.

Augmented Reality on Canvas

“Dulcinea and Don Quixote in the Digital Age”: A Tribute to La Mancha Through Augmented Reality

The use of new technologies also serves as a tribute to La Mancha and the Route of Don Quixote, offering an optimistic and vibrant perspective that imagines a hopeful future. Through the augmented reality developed by Houda Bakkali, the project invites audiences to discover emblematic locations such as Campo de Criptana, El Toboso, the Escuela de Arte y Superior de Diseño Antonio López in Tomelloso, the iconic railway station of Alcázar de San Juan, and characteristic Manchegan scenes from Argamasilla de Alba.

According to Bakkali, “with augmented reality we can create a perfect fusion between the most beautiful corners of La Mancha and the texts, artworks, and characters of Don Quijote de la Mancha, recreating them as many times and in as many ways as imagination allows. Moreover, being able to share it with the world without spatial or temporal barriers allows us to continue the legacy of universalizing the work now also across all digital platforms and formats.”