Houda Bakkali’s digital art project brings together creativity, technology and cultural dialogue through exhibitions presented in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi. These include solo exhibitions at the Alliance Française of Abu Dhabi, Al Riwaq Art Space in Bahrain, and Hayy Jameel Residents – Alliance Française of Jeddah, where her work focused on public engagement with contemporary digital visual culture.
The Alliance Française de Dallas hosts the work of Houda Bakkali in an exhibition in Dallas, United States, marking a significant milestone in the artist’s international trajectory. The exhibition reflects Bakkali’s strong and lasting connection with the United States, a country that has played a key role in her career through outstanding opportunities and emblematic projects.
Presented within one of the institutions that best represents the excellence and cultural legacy of France, where Bakkali’s artistic journey began, the exhibition embodies a powerful fusion of cultures. This collaboration echoes the diversity at the core of the artist’s work and her vision of a future driven by excellence, creativity and limitless innovation.
The exhibition is made possible with the support of Alexandre Rossignol, Director of the Alliance Française de Dallas, and his team, whose dedication and professionalism foster a strong framework for international cultural exchange and artistic dialogue.
Dates: The exhibition will remain open to the public until February 2026.
With this exhibition, the Alliance Française de Dallas reinforces its role as a key platform for Francophonie and international cultural exchange.
“I am honored and sincerely grateful to the Alliance Française of Dallas for the opportunity to present my work and creative vision to its community. I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Alexandre Rossignol, Director of the Alliance Française of Dallas, as well as to his dedicated and highly professional team, for the warm reception of my work, their respect, and their continued support. This exhibition brings together physical and virtual works, extending the artistic experience through augmented reality and allowing art to transcend its traditional boundaries. Creativity is combined with educational outreach, addressing the challenges and opportunities of digital art and its evolving landscape. I warmly encourage audiences in 2026 to visit the Alliance Française of Dallas and engage with its outstanding cultural programming, exemplary hospitality, and exceptional professionals. My sincere thanks for situating my work at the heart of francophone educational excellence and within the cultural context of the United States, a country I greatly, love, admire and respect,” says Houda Bakkali.
VISIT ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE OF DALLAS: 15150 Preston Rd #250, Dallas, TX 75248, Estados Unidos
Con ocasión de la exposición “Arte Digital, Cultura Digital” de Houda Bakkali, en la Alianza Francesa de Ciudad Guatemala se han creado dos cuadernos conmemorativos a través de los cuales los alumnos más pequeños y los más jóvenes de la Alianza Francesa pueden conocer la obra de la artista, sus características, sus valores y lo harán a través de una original variedad de actividades didácticas y lúdicas, poniendo en valor el arte, la cultura y la pedagogía a través de la lengua francesa y acercando a niños y adolescentes al arte y la creatividad en todas su versiones y a través de múltiples juegos.
Un trabajo creado bajo la coordinacion de Timothée Martin y Charline Bled, responsable de la medieteca y las responsables de comunicación y cultura Oceane Garell y Eilalie Loiseau, especialmente diseñados para este evento, en el que se pone el foco en el arte digital a través de los formatos y medios más tradicionales, buscando expandir la cultura, la creatividad y el arte a través de la diversion y de la formación.
“En cada Alianza la experiencia es completamente diferente, comenta Bakkali, cada muestra tiene su singularidad y sus valores diferenciales, estos cuadernos tiene un significado muy especial para mi. Miran al futuro, trasladan el conocimiento y lo hacen a través del color y de la palabra, del juego y de la pedagogía, una manera creativa de avanzar y de acercar a los más pequeños a la creación del presente que solo mira hacia el futuro. Un detalle muy simbólico que, sin duda, aporta un valor diferencial a esta muestra que ha estado absolutamente llena de corazón y de alegría, de mucha implicación, de ganas de hacer y de crecer.”
La muestra “Arte Digital, Cultura Digital” de Houda Bakkali forma parte del Noviembre Digital, evento internacional liderado por el Institut Français para promover las culturas digitales.
Hasta el 31 de diciembre de 2025, el espacio expositivo de la Alianza Francesa de Trujillo, ubicado en el Terrapuerto de la ciudad peruana, acoge la exposición “Arte Digital, Cultura Digital” de Houda Bakkali. La muestra se presenta en un entorno singular, reconocido en múltiples ocasiones como el “mejor terminal terrestre del país” por la Asociación Empresa Peruana del Año, consolidando así al Terrapuerto de Trujillo como un espacio de referencia no solo en movilidad, sino también en dinamización cultural.
La exposición propone una fusión innovadora entre obra física y digital, explorando el potencial del arte contemporáneo y las nuevas tecnologías para romper fronteras espaciales, temporales y generacionales. A través de esta integración, se generan sinergias entre públicos diversos, ampliando el alcance de la experiencia artística y favoreciendo una relación más directa y participativa con la obra.
De este modo, el arte se presenta como un lenguaje atemporal y universal, capaz de acercarse al público de forma accesible, comprensible y festiva, transformando un espacio de tránsito en un lugar de encuentro cultural y reafirmando el valor del arte digital como herramienta de diálogo, reflexión y participación.
The vibrant and expressive work of Houda Bakkali now fills the walls of the legendary Alliance Française of Bahrain, offering the public an immersive experience through augmented reality. Currently on view at the institution’s headquarters, the exhibition can be enjoyed both physically and virtually, allowing each artwork to come to life through augmented reality.
Through this innovative format, Bakkali’s work breaks spatial, generational and temporal boundaries, transforming art into a universal language that connects people through creativity, innovation, friendship and an optimistic outlook. The exhibition introduces a new narrative in which art becomes a two-way communicative, playful and evolving tool, continuously growing through interaction and learning.
Bakkali’s colorful artworks stand as a distinguished witness to the Alliance Française of Bahrain’s extensive cultural and educational programme, which seamlessly combines the promotion of Francophone cultures with local initiatives and international content. This dynamic agenda fosters a passion for literature, theatre, music and cinema, while also reinforcing the institution’s ongoing commitment to knowledge-sharing through talks and conferences on a wide range of topics, including technology, nature, wellbeing, health and gastronomy.
Likewise, this exhibition by Houda Bakkali joins the programme curated by the Alliance Française of Bahrain at the iconic Al-Riwaq, as part of Novembre Numérique the international event led by the Institut français dedicated to the promotion of digital cultures worldwide.
The Alliance Française of Saudi Arabia presents Happiness, an exhibition by Houda Bakkali hosted by Alliance Française at Hayy Jameel.
The exhibition brings together physical artworks, digital media and augmented reality, proposing a hybrid exhibition model that examines the integration of emerging technologies within contemporary artistic practice. Through this approach, the project explores how digital tools can expand traditional exhibition frameworks and support new forms of access, interpretation and public engagement.
Designed as a multidimensional exhibition format, Happiness analyzes the capacity of digital art to operate across different spaces and contexts, facilitating cultural exchange and learning among diverse audiences beyond spatial, temporal and generational boundaries.
The project is complemented by educational and interpretative content that contextualizes the applications of new technologies in art, positioning digital media as tools for visual communication, mediation and knowledge dissemination. This framework encourages audiences to engage with creativity not only from an aesthetic perspective, but also as a mechanism for understanding contemporary cultural and technological processes.
Through this initiative, the Alliance Française of Saudi Arabia reinforces its role as a platform for the presentation of contemporary artistic practices and for the promotion of digital culture within an international and educational context.
Pour débuter 2024, année de célébration des 40 ans de l’Alliance Française de Madrid, la structure accueille l’innovante exposition de l’artiste Houda Bakkali. L’ensemble de ses toiles présentent la particularité d’être conçues à travers la réalité augmentée, le public sera alors plongé au cœur de l’exposition à travers des visites interactives afin de découvrir les techniques numériques utilisées dans le processus créatif de l’artiste. La collection sera disponible 2 mois au sein de l’Alliance Française de Madrid et sera l’unique occasion pour voir l’exposition de Bakkali en Espagne en 2024.
Dans cette exposition à l’Alliance Française de Madrid, je souhaite partager ma série «Les péchés capitaux», qui nous invite à réfléchir sur la société que nous avons créée à travers une vision ironique et ludique. Les masques invitent le spectateur à réfléchir et la technique numérique l’invite à jouer avec leurs différentes versions, créant un fil conducteur entre les sept pièces. L’exposition est complétée par une visite pédagogique au cours de laquelle le public pourra en apprendre davantage sur la technique numérique utilisée et le processus créatif, ainsi que profiter des versions immersives de chaque toile grâce à la réalité augmentée et élargir les informations sur l’exposition dans le métaverse. De nouvelles technologies appliquées à la créativité qui créent une symbiose entre l’art le plus traditionnel, ses récits les plus actuels et qui invitent le spectateur à les expérimenter. De même, l’exposition présentera des œuvres et des versions virtuelles et audiovisuelles inspirées de Monaco, de Sanremo, de l’œuvre de Don Quichotte et, bien sûr, de la France.
C’est un honneur de pouvoir porter mon travail à l’Alliance Française de Madrid. Commencer l’année en exposant dans une institution qui représente l’héritage linguistique, artistique et culturel de la France, dont la richesse est incontestable et unique et ce, également dans le cadre de son 40e anniversaire, est un grand privilège. Mon travail a un lien très étroit avec la France, notamment avec Cannes, ville où j’ai véritablement débuté ma carrière artistique, ou encore avec Biarritz ou avec Paris, lieux où j’ai eu l’honneur d’exposer mon travail à plusieurs reprises.
Houda Bakkali | Les péchés capitaux | Alliance Française
Houda Bakkali | Les péchés capitaux | Alliance Française
Les péchés capitaux | Réalité augmentée | Houda Bakkali | Biarritz
Les péchés capitaux | Réalité augmentée | Houda Bakkali | Biarritz
In 2021, Houda Bakkali created her first immersive augmented reality artwork, inspired by Paris, on occasion of the contemporary art exhibition held at the Carrousel du Louvre. In this piece, she blends digital art, immersive experiences, and the beauty of Paris, while paying tribute to the unparalleled majesty of one of its most iconic museums: the Louvre Museum. It remains one of her favorite works— a vision of the future, vibrant with color, hope, joy, creativity, and success.
The central theme of Bakkali’s art focuses on the figure of her mother, hope, and the use of new technologies applied to art. This concept earned her an Honorable Mention at the Design Paris Awards.
She has also had the opportunity to exhibit both physical and virtual artworks in Biarritz, showcasing them as tools of communication, information, and entertainment that go beyond the traditional canvas. In addition, she presented her work in the iconic city of Cannes, where she was honored with the New Talent Award for her digital art creation.
Since 2008, from Cannes to New York, Houda Bakkali has been part of the evolution of digital art. in some emblematic public spaces and private events around the world.
In 2018, she was the only artist to present 100% digital work at the Contemporary Art Salon Artistes du Monde in Cannes with the figure of the Arab woman as the protagonist, an event sponsored by the Cannes City Council and Nice-Matin, where her groundbreaking proposal earned her the New Talent Award. Between 2018 and 2023, her project Women and Digital Art was exhibited at the Spanish Paradores of Lorca and Córdoba. Likewise, she also lectured on digital art at the Paradores of Soria and Cangas de Onís in collaboration with the University of Oviedo. She also exhibited with great success her fusion of augmented reality and physical art at the Colegio de Médicos de Málaga. She signed Soria Through Digital Art, a project promoted by the Soria Provincial Council, which brought digital art to rural Spain through workshops, physical and immersive exhibitions, and educational activities exploring artificial intelligence, the metaverse, and augmented reality. She also successfully showcased her fusion of augmented reality and physical art at the Málaga College of Physicians and Casa de Castilla-La Mancha en Madrid.
In 2020, at the first Contemporary Art Salon in Monaco after the pandemic, she unveiled the event’s first painting with augmented reality, attracting extensive coverage from the Riviera press. That same year, she made her debut in Sanremo, Italy, presenting I fiori della felicità at the City Hall to the Mayor and the President of the Municipality of Sanremo, as well as at the Museum of the Flower. In 2021, she presented her work Divertimento at the iconic Casino of Sanremo.
She has exhibited on several occasions in Paris and Biarritz, including at the Carrousel du Louvre, the Casino of Biarritz, and the Palais des Congrès Bellevue, where she personally presented her digital works with augmented reality to the city’s Mayor. She also frequently gives presentations, masterclass and participates in private events in different countries..
Houda Bakkali presented her work in tribute to female empowerment at the Can Travi Civic Center in Barcelona as part of the Empoderat Festival, an event sponsored by the Barcelona City Council. The exhibition was distinguished by two pieces that seamlessly integrated artistic creativity with new technologies as a medium for conveying medical and scientific content.
Her art has also been showcased several occasions in The Party, the emblematic celebration of American Illustration in New York. Likewise, Bakkali was selected for the first inaugural artistic Web3 project by TIME magazine, participating with this iconic publication at Dreamverse in New York, considered the world’s first major digital art show.
Houda Bakkali has developed a very unique project with the legendary Alliance Française network, taking her works to more than 20 countries, including the Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, México, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, the United States, Venezuela, Zambia, etc.
Visual artist Houda Bakkali presents her new series, Deadly Sins, at the Exhibition Hall of the Deadly Sins at the Official College of Physicians of Málaga, where it will be on view from April 22 to May 17.
Internationally exhibited and awarded in some of the most prestigious art and design competitions, Bakkali’s vibrant body of work is recognized for its distinctive style, which combines digital illustration, mixed media techniques, animated graphics and augmented reality. Her practice stands at the intersection of art, technology and emotion, offering audiences immersive and contemporary visual narratives.
The exhibition will open on April 22 at 7:30 pm and will be accessible to the public Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm, until May 17.
The use of augmented reality has become a defining element of Houda Bakkali’s work, a technique she has been consistently developing since 2020.
Deadly Sins is a deliberately artificial and visceral series, rooted in the primary instincts of human nature. Its expressive strength lies in instinct itself raw, organic and timeless, much like the desires that fuel the seven deadly sins.
“The visceral is intense and concise in its expression; it repeats itself and barely changes over time. For this reason, I chose to represent each deadly sin in a very simple and repetitive way. The work is simple in form, yet deep in concept,” says the artist.
“I chose Lust as the main work because it best represents desire in all its forms, through simple lines and vibrant colors. A powerful and passionate desire, yet ordered and serene full of intensity, exuberance and beauty where women are the protagonists of their own freedom and imagination. Living without regret,”Bakkali adds.
The series consists of seven unique artworks measuring 100 x 100 cm, along with an exclusive version of the complete series measuring 110 x 70 cm. Each piece is created using mixed media (digital illustration and acrylic) and is accompanied by animated and augmented reality versions, offering viewers a multidimensional and immersive experience.
With Deadly Sins, Houda Bakkali continues to push the boundaries of contemporary art, transforming traditional exhibition spaces into dynamic environments for reflection, interaction and emotional connection.
