Technocreative Experiences for Global Audiences

Creativity and Technology: A Powerful Combination

The integration of technology with creativity has ushered in a new era of innovation, where art and culture are not only tools of expression, but also drivers of social transformation and economic development. This intersection between the creative and technological is redefining how we connect with global audiences, offering technocreative artistic experiences that are simultaneously immersive, multisensory, and deeply impactful.

In this context, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) addresses issues of global interest through its Art and Transformation Program within the Creativity and Culture Unit, exploring areas such as the convergence between art and science, conservation of the Amazon, sustainability, the environment, post-pandemic recovery, and the ancestral knowledge of Indigenous peoples. Using technocreative tools, the program broadens access to its exhibitions and projects, allowing people from all over the world to enjoy these transformative experiences.

IDB's Perspective

The IDB views art as a development agent and promotes various projects that position it as a driver of social transformation from a creative lens. Through its platform, the Bank aims to showcase the transformative power of art in the region's development.

The IDB recognizes the importance of the intersection between technology and creativity to foster innovation and develop disruptive solutions to current challenges. Therefore, it has adopted a comprehensive vision of how technocreative experiences can be applied globally to engage more audiences and enable greater inclusion and diversity in these areas.

Manuela Reyes, art curator and Sector Specialist at the IDB's Creativity and Culture Unit, emphasizes that "digitization is key to maximizing access to artistic and cultural heritage. At the IDB, we are committed to supporting the digital leap of the cultural and artistic sector in the region."

OPEN MUSEUM

Indeed, one of the Bank's lines of action is digital transformation, through which it supports the region's cultural and artistic sector in its transition by providing resources and training programs. Additionally, it implements digital strategies to increase access to artistic, cultural, and knowledge heritage.

One of IDB's flagship programs in this regard is OPEN MUSEUM, an online platform that provides resources for the digital transformation of museums and cultural institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean. Launched during the pandemic, this platform was designed to help institutions transition to the digital age and stay relevant. OPEN MUSEUM has become an invaluable resource, offering a toolkit and programs for crucial needs, such as creating virtual exhibitions and digitizing collections, to continue connecting with audiences.

Museums in Digital Transformation Online Course

The IDB has also been a catalyst for projects that bridge the public and private worlds, promoting collaborations that extend the reach of art and technology. An example is the digital transformation course developed in partnership with the Prado Museum. This course seeks to transfer the experience of the prestigious Spanish museum to cultural institutions in Latin America, training them in best practices in digital management and strategic planning.

Fashioning the Future Exhibition

Fashioning the Future Exhibition, at the IDB Cultural Center, 2018

The future of technocreative experiences is closely linked to sustainability and innovation. The IDB has recognized the importance of these areas and has launched initiatives that seek to inspire a sustainable future for the region.

Fashioning the Future, an exhibition held during the Annual Meeting in Argentina in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Buenos Aires in 2018, is a notable example. This art show fused science, technology, and creativity, presenting fashion garments steeped in scientific and technological concepts, with an interactive component that responded to the viewer's movements and actions.

Single-Use Planet Exhibition

Single-Use Planet: A Call-to-Action from the Artists of the Americas, at the IDB Cultural Center, 2019

The Creativity and Culture Unit partnered with the IDB's Information Technology Department (ITE), which invested in technologies such as Matterport cameras through its TechLab to create virtual exhibitions that allow users to explore spaces in 360 degrees. This innovative approach has resulted in a four-fold increase in visits to previous exhibitions, demonstrating the potential of technology to expand the impact and artistic reach.

The Bank's first exhibition to be presented virtually was Single-Use Planet, held in 2019, focusing on the global issue of plastic and toxic waste. The art show brought together works by eco-activist artists from Latin America and the Caribbean, who use art as a means to generate environmental awareness.

Through the Matterport platform, users can virtually explore this exhibition, including installations such as Vena by Mexican artist Alejandro Durán. This work, composed of plastics collected from the ocean, aims to raise awareness about marine pollution. Projects like this one show how art can be a powerful vehicle to raise environmental awareness and change the way we think about protecting the planet.

Healing a Broken World

To facilitate innovative pathways for recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, the Inter-American Development Bank organized the digital summit Healing a Broken World in 2021. Cultural leaders, artists, economists, urban planners, and technologists from Latin America and the Caribbean discussed recovery and growth in the post-pandemic era.

Additionally, works by five leading artists and creative collectives from Latin America and the Caribbean, whose video art pieces were specially commissioned for the summit, were virtually premiered during the event. Later, upon reopening the IDB gallery in Washington, D.C., which had been closed during the pandemic, we recreated the exhibition in physical form, bringing the project from virtual to physical, and then transforming it into a virtual exhibition. A full circle, yet opposite to the traditional approach of moving from physical to virtual, breaking the mold through creativity.

Read the publication Healing a Broken World: The Power of Art for Social Transformation in the Post-Pandemic Era here.

Amazonia: A BioCreativity Hub Exhibition

The IDB has gone beyond traditional visual experiences by commissioning exhibitions that are immersive and multisensory. These projects engage not only the sight but also other senses, creating experiences that allow a deeper connection with art.

The exhibition Amazonia: A BioCreativity Hub is a clear example of this approach. This show, which portrays the biological and cultural richness of the Amazon region, is an immersive experience that fuses art, environment, and technology.

Developed in collaboration with the IDB regional program Amazonia Forever, the exhibition aims to promote sustainability in the Amazon region through art and creativity. These types of projects not only highlight the importance of preserving the environment, but also demonstrate how technology and creativity can work together to inspire positive change.

CRTIC Fest: Technocreative Revolution from Chile to the World

Last August, Manuela Reyes, art curator and Sector Specialist at the IDB's Creativity and Culture Unit, participated in the CRTIC Fest: Technocreative Revolution from Chile to the World, held in Santiago, Chile. Manuela was part of a conversation titled "How to Create Technocreative Experiences for Global Audiences?" alongside Adam Dubov, Christopher Widauer, and Isidora Cabezón. In this space, they explored ways to drive innovation and develop disruptive solutions to current challenges. Manuela shared the work being done at the IDB at the intersection of art, technology, and creativity, and its focus on innovation as a response to global challenges.

Relive the event here.

Technocreativity as a Catalyst for Change

The intersection between technology and creativity is not only transforming art and culture, but also driving innovation across various industries. Through its initiatives, the IDB has demonstrated how art can be a catalyst for social and economic change. Technocreative experiences not only connect global audiences but also inspire innovative solutions to the challenges our society faces.

One example of the innovation that emerges from the convergence of art and technology is the work being developed in Chile by the artists of the Technocreative Residency at the Center for Technological Revolution in Creative Industries (CRTIC). Some examples of this talented group are Vicente Manzano and Beltrán Lihn, from Alma Digital Studio, who presented NEUROCOSM, an immersive work that, using bio-feedback technologies, transports the public to a state of well-being through a fusion of electronic, pop, Latin music, and 3D visuals. Felipe Zlatar, with his project OCULAB, created a mapping experience that reacts in real time to music, combining synthesizers of his own manufacture with visuals that interact with the audience. Ricardo Tapia, from Oktopus Art Studio, developed the virtual world ALDEN XR, a proposal that uses immersive experiences to create therapeutic tools, improving people's health and quality of life through the integration of art and science. Finally, playwright Alejandro Moreno developed SALÓN DE ACTOS, a theatrical installation that blends the real and virtual, taking the audience on a narrative journey through the abandoned ruins of the Capote mine in Atacama, where the material and immaterial are combined thanks to technology.

In an increasingly digitalized world, it is crucial to continue exploring and supporting these intersections between technology and creativity. The IDB, committed to highlighting the transformative power of art, is at the forefront of this technocreative revolution, working to ensure that art and culture remain key drivers of development in Latin America and the Caribbean.

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