Llum BCN aims to light up Barcelona cityscape

The nighttime cityscape of Barcelona's Poblenou neighborhood will be transformed by light this weekend when the ninth edition of the Llum BCN festival takes place.

From February 14 to 16, between 7 pm and midnight, Poblenou's annual festival of light will feature some 42 different installations created by 23 artists from around the world.

Many of the festival's light displays this year include the use of the latest technology, such as virtual reality and AI, as their creators explore "the limits of our own perceptions."

Llum BCN has not stopped growing since its first edition nine years ago, attracting some 190,000 visitors last year, with at least as many people expected in 2020.

"A high-intensity sensorial experience"

According to the organizers, the light festival aims to "challenge your sense in a high-intensity sensorial experience" in what it refers to as "a collective experiment."

Among the big internationally-renowned names taking part this year is Luke Jerram (UK), United Visual Artists (UK), Kurt Hentschläger (Austria) and Catalonia's Antoni Arola.

Stretching from the Glòries Tower to Carrer Pujades, visitors will also have the option of using an app allowing them to interact with the installations with augmented reality.

Along with the 25 installations by individual artists and the 17 by schools of art, design, illumination, and architecture, 2020 sees the return of the alternative Off Llum event.

A project from the Poblenou Urban District association, Off Llum offers 15 experimental works that can be seen in art galleries such as L&B Contemporary Art or Chez Xefo.