L.E.V. 2026. XR CAMP. PANEL: WHO GETS TO EXPERIENCE XR? ARTISTIC FREEDOM, ACCESSIBILITY AND THE POLITICS OF DISTRIBUTION

XR art is evolving in step with new technologies and formats, but this diversity also presents challenges for its distribution and accessibility. In this panel, artists and professionals will share case studies, insights and lessons learned from presenting XR works to the public, exploring how to balance artistic freedom and experimentation with the needs of festivals, art centres and diverse audiences. Together, we will consider how to lower barriers to access without simplifying the experiences and, above all, who can truly experience XR art and under what conditions.

Chair: 

Marie Pont. Since 2021, she has been the director of Dark Euphoria, a cultural production and innovation agency specializing in digital art, immersive, and interactive artworks. A graduate of the Master’s program in Cultural Management at Paris Dauphine University, she has been working for over 15 years in the development of innovative artistic projects, with recognized expertise in international cooperation. She has a particular interest in the convergence of performing arts and XR (extended reality) and initiated the “Performing Arts, Digital Stages” event at the Avignon Festival.

Co-president of PXN, the French network of digital experience producers, she was named one of the “100 Women of Culture” of France in 2024.

Speakers: 

Carles Castaño. Digital artist specialising in real-time 3D art, with a background in programming, illustration and the visual arts.

He has exhibited his work at festivals and institutions such as Arts Santa Mònica, Grec, IDEAL, Bombas Gens, MIRA and Hyper House. He currently runs Servicios Inmersivos, a hybrid space combining a production company and an artistic laboratory that develops immersive and collaborative XR projects, in partnership with institutions such as the Government of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council.

Diego Iglesias. Creator, cultural manager and lecturer specialising in art, design and new technologies. Trained as an architect, his work explores how digital culture is transforming contemporary forms of creation, learning and cultural production.

He is co-founder and director of the MMMAD Festival, co-founder and curator of HYPER HOUSE, and co-founder and creative director of HYPER STUDIO. Between 2024 and 2026, he will head the School of Visual Arts at IED Madrid and has taught at institutions such as HEAD – Genève, EINA Barcelona, UPM and the Architectural Association.

His artistic practice has been showcased at the Venice Architecture Biennale, Espacio Fundación Telefónica, Teatros del Canal and the MIRA Festival. As a curator, he has developed projects for institutions including the National Museum of Decorative Arts, Matadero Madrid and the Goethe-Institut, amongst others. His career has received support from the European Union, the Ministry of Culture, AC/E and INJUVE, and he has served on national and international juries.

Elena Carbajal. Curator and researcher specialising in digital culture and the philosophy of technology. She works at Onkaos, the digital art department of SOLO Contemporary, where she develops exhibitions and public programmes focusing on artificial intelligence, blockchain and digital artistic practices. She also collaborates with bianjie.systems on curatorial, editorial and research projects.

Her practice centres on the study of digital infrastructures and interfaces as systems of mediation, with a particular interest in neural networks and blockchain. Through curating, teaching, writing and research, she collaborates internationally with artists, researchers and institutions.

Irene Molina. Multidisciplinary artist exploring the relationships that emerge at the intersection of the virtual object and the physical body. Working across disciplines through a critical and experimental approach, her practice builds bridges between matter and screen, creating environments where the sculptural coexists with computational processes and networked visualities.

She works with photogrammetry, 3D printing, metal welding, animation, and simulation to translate files, models, and image flows into spatial experiences. She is interested in how objects mediated by digital processes acquire volume, friction, and temporality when they leave the screen behind.

Her work has been presented at institutions including Cidade da Cultura de Galicia (Phygital Land, 2025), Rifugio Digitale and Palazzo Pucci in Florence (2025), and the LUX Festival in Málaga (Hypergarden, 2024). She has also participated in art fairs such as Focus Art Fair at Saatchi Gallery (London, 2025), UVNT Art Fair, and Estampa. Her awards and recognitions include the BMW Digital Art Prize (2022) and a residency at the Antonio Gala Foundation.