The vessel, which arrived in the Catalan capital on March 26, is located at Barcelona Nord pier, a recently opened area in Port Vell. Although access is free, the Barcelona City Council recommends making an online reservation through the festival's website to ensure a visit.
Activities take place both on board the ship and in the pavilions set up on the pier. Opening hours are daily, from 10:00 to 22:00, although on-board and pier experiences conclude at 21:00, with the last permitted access at 19:45.
The catamaran, designed by architects Axel de Beaufort and Guillaume Verdier, is an attraction in itself, with a capacity for 2,000 daily visitors. It offers an immersive journey with a Mediterranean soundscape and a virtual reality show that transports visitors to ancient Alexandria, Athens, and Venice during their peak artistic and architectural splendor.
On the pier, three exhibition pavilions have been set up. One, named 'Present', is a large-format immersive exhibition, a collaboration with the Louvre Museum, focusing on female figures from Mediterranean civilizations. This display unfolds within a 16-meter tunnel covered with LED screens.
The central pavilion, 'Under the Azure', explores the Mediterranean as a space of myth and memory through works by artists such as Joan Miró, Etel Adnan, Simone Fattal, and Anri Sala. Finally, the photography pavilion hosts 'Against the Current', an exhibition by artists from the Arab world addressing themes like migration, exile, and hospitality in the region.
“"Its focus on sound, closely linked to visual arts, with hybrid and transdisciplinary proposals for all audiences."
The Art Explora festival complements the offerings with performances, concerts, DJ sessions, workshops, and educational activities. Recently, two days were dedicated to the ocean, with the participation of researchers and artists addressing environmental and maritime issues.
