Xavi Bové, a leading media artist from Catalunya, is active both within Spain and internationally. Specializing in light art, projection mapping, and immersive projects, he runs a digital art studio creating unique audiovisual experiences with light, image, and sound. Using cutting edge technology, delves into concepts such as time, memory, human perception, and the interaction between individuals and their surroundings. His work transforms historical structures such as Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia and Casa Milà. His artistry seeks to harmonize forces that are often perceived as opposing, such as traditional culture and modern technology or urban landscapes and the natural countryside.

This time, we visited “BRAVA,” a creative hub located in the northeastern part of Catalunya where Xavi is based, to learn more about his inspirations.

Passion for Classical and Electronic Music: A Hybrid of Tradition and Innovation

—A few years ago, I watched your piece, “Visual Soundtrack,” and was struck by how skillfully it utilized existing music. I understand you have a background in opera and music—how did you first get into this field?

Xavi Bové (Xavi): Originally, I trained as an engineer and worked at Barcelona’s opera house Gran Teatre del Liceu for 13 years. My career there began as an intern. Although I hold a degree in telecommunications engineering, I initially knew very little about classical music.

Starting as a technician, I eventually transitioned into the role of video director, as I wanted to work on more artistic fields. Gran Teatre del Liceu became a platform that enabled me to shift from a technical perspective to a creative one.

My passion for music originally leaned towards electronic genres like techno and rave. However, through my work with opera, I was introduced to classical music, which offered me new perspectives. I feel deeply passionate about merging these two realms.

The interplay of tradition and innovation, along with the combination of organic and technological elements, creates and amplifies emotions, from a different perspective. As a result, some of my works either use classical music or have a classical music structure and interplay with electronic music—forming a hybrid essence.

Xavi: While I am not a musician, I attended every rehearsal at Gran Teatre del Liceu. Interacting directly with musicians, directors, and orchestra conductors exposed me to new forms of artistic expression and the world of music. Working closely with conductors and studying scores over the years helped me develop an appreciation for nuances in music, which deepened my understanding and connection to musical composition and visualization.

In my works, sound design plays an important role. I collaborate with composers and coders, working very closely to develop the scores, since they have to be absolutely linked to the visual proposal.

Balancing Sound and Visuals: Connecting Local Architecture with Musicians

Xavi: One of my earlier generative mapping works, “Moviments Granados (Movements of Granados)” was presented at Casa Milà (locally known as “La Pedrera”) in Barcelona in 2016. This piece visually animated the building based on the movements of an orchestra conductor captured on camera. Different colors represented the sounds of various instruments, and were projected onto the structure. Three instruments and the conductor worked together to generate visuals—without music, the visuals wouldn’t move.

The music used in this work was composed by Enrique Granados, a composer from my hometown, Lleida. I used one of his lesser-known pieces, “Trio, Op. 50, for Violin, Cello and Piano” to reflect the three rows of windows on the building’s corner. I worked with musicians to explain how the piece would work during their performance. This was a commissioned project from La Pedrera and was unveiled as part of the festival LLUM Barcelona, one of the iconic light festivals in the world.

Both the works that focus on expressing music visually or that simultaneously generate visuals and music, all explore the relationship between visual representation and sound from a conceptual stage.

AI Utilization and the Pursuit of Elegance in Detail

Xavi: A project called “Rosa, Rosae, Aesthetic Declinations” (Latin for “Rose, of the Rose”), unveiled on the Festivity Day of Saint Jordi (Catalunya’s patron saint), was an AI-powered endeavor. It incorporated the beauty of roses with the textures found in Gaudí’s works.

By employing AI, we integrated Gaudí’s “trencadís” style—an ornamental mosaic technique using broken tiles and ceramics—into the design. We explored how Gaudí expressed himself through wrought iron and ceramic tiles, examining his works on both micro and macro levels. It represents a small evolution in our approach.

Xavi: Watching the making-of video explains the process. We built a database of roses, identified and categorized Gaudí’s motifs, and selected AI-generated images that were then further refined. It was a deliberate process far from the typical “fast moving” aesthetics associated with AI generated videos. One of our studio’s defining characteristics is this pursuit of elegance and slow-pased experiences.

In our studio, while we tackle complex technical development, we aim for simplicity in the user experience. What people encounter is elegant and visually straightforward. We enjoy creating art experiences that unfold at a relaxed pace.

——What are your thoughts on AI’s future role in art?

Xavi: AI should neither be idealized nor demonized. It’s merely a tool-like a pencil or a computer-to aid creativity. Overreliance on technological passion or complete rejection of it can lead to missed opportunities. The essence lies in what you create, not the tool itself.

Integrating AI into the creative process has become usual nowadays, but it’s equally important to critically evaluate the sources of information AI relies on and understand its intended use. Also with a critical view about the intellectual property rights of the sources that feeds the datasets.

Not every project requires AI. Its use, like any other software or tool, should be determined by the creative goals. In my case, the AI-based project resonated with its context, by blending Gaudí’s architectural style with the symbolic rose tradition of Sant Jordi.

I used AI to discover new variations among these elements and proposed them as part of the creative process. In the sense of proposing a journey from the micro to the macro scale, I believe the use of AI was highly logical and fitting.

“Cartography of the Imaginary” , a recent AI-driven piece, was showcased by the Museum of Contemporary Art in Palma de Mallorca. Inspired by one of the first atlases created in the 14th century, this project reimagines the world and the cosmos using AI.

The atlas was used as a map for navigating by observing the stars, and also to discover the unknown, and I used its elements to re-imagine a new world with AI. I then created an experience using videoprojection, lasers and multichannel audio. I projected on the ceiling of the venue, creating a canvas where I make it disappear to show stars, connect them, and allowing a journey into the cosmos and the unknown.

Xavi: In this way, the use of AI serves a specific purpose. Just as 14th-century cartographers created maps based on stories they heard, AI is used to combine existing elements to explore new outcomes. In this project, various illustrations from the atlas were utilized, transformed, and new variations were created. These images were utilized for the video mapping and further enhanced with sound and light to guide visitors through this imaginary journey.

The Art Scene in Catalunya: Creative Hubs Beyond Urban Areas

—In Spain, particularly in Barcelona, public spaces often feature media art for locals and tourists alike. However, the countryside in Catalunya offers a very different lifestyle. Could you share your insights into the state of artists in Barcelona and Catalunya?

Xavi: Barcelona has become a global hub for digital art, particularly electronic music and multimedia art, thanks to festivals like “Sonar Music Festival.” and “MIRA Festival” (1)and events like “Digital Impact” (2) and “OFFF Barcelona” have further solidified its reputation.

Barcelona boasts a concentration of creative talent, especially in digital art and creative industries, which compares favorably to the rest of Europe. Numerous studios based in the city are internationally renowned.

^{*1 A festival featuring music, visuals, and installation art
　*2 A digital art event centered around immersive works}

Xavi: However, many studios are relocating to form creative hubs in rural areas, such as the Terres de l’Ebre region in southern Catalunya or Empordà, where I am based. While creative processes are increasingly shifting to these less urbanized areas, the resulting works often return to the cities for exhibition.

Creating art amidst nature provides inspiration, affordability, and ample time for reflection and observation, leading to more innovative creations.

Additionally, as the director of the Master’s and Bachelor Program “La Salle” at Ramon Llull University, I oversee everything from faculty assignments to external collaborations with companies and festivals.

The research conducted influences not just the university but also our relationships with festivals. For example, “MIRA Festival” collaborates with La Salle to run an artist-in-residence program, demonstrating how interconnected everything is. Also, we just signed a collaboration contract with Sonar Festival to work together on developing and disseminating unique projects.

— Is there anything you have yet to achieve but hope to one day?

Xavi: Maybe it could be to create a permanent light installation in a public space. Most of my past works have been temporary, created for festivals or specific events.

While I’ve produced permanent works for indoor locations, such as installations in companies in Catalunya, a gallery in Norway, and Sagrada Familia, I dream of creating something permanently displayed in a public location. However, this is more of a personal achievement than a life goal, since I enjoy very much all the projects I have been doing and touring.

Maybe also, to showcase my works in front of new audiences in other countries I haven’t previously premiered, like Japan.

My work has transitioned from specific, finite projects to longer-lasting, generative, and introspective pieces. My evolution as an artist continually explores concepts of memory, time, and our perception of the world, linking them to nature, climate change, and our relationship with our world and the cosmos.

—Particularly in music and other forms of expression, how do you perceive the passage of time or the concept of change over time?

Xavi: Time constantly progresses and cannot move backward. Unlike films, life offers no rewind. According to the principle of entropy, as time advances, disorder inevitably increases, moving toward equilibrium. This scientific concept resonates with me as profoundly poetic.

Each moment in our lives is incredibly valuable, yet in the grand evolution of human history, each moment is insignificant. This is the message I strive to embed in my work. Who I am is shaped by my understanding of the environment, my perception, and my memories. And is the same as individuals, and also as collective beings. Contemplating the value of time is essential to our existence.

Simultaneously, we are small entities within the vast universe. When looking at the evolution of human history, the present moment we inhabit is minuscule and almost irrelevant. Even this conversation between you and me is insignificant in the broader scope of history. However, understanding this meaning is profoundly beautiful, and conveying this sense of wonder through my work is very important to me.