Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) has announced that British artist and founder of United Visual Artists will be the Creative Keynote speaker at ISE 2026. Matt Clark is recognised internationally for his work at the intersection of art, technology and architecture, blending light, code, sound and choreography to create immersive experiences. His keynote at ISE 2026 will explore how bold creative thinking can reshape perceptions of the built environment and the role of technology in the arts.
ISE 2026 takes place in Barcelona from 3 to 6 February. Clark’s keynote, titled ‘Hidden Order: Building a Performance‑led Mapping at Casa Batlló, from Concept to Implementation’, is scheduled for Tuesday 3 February from 15:30 to 16:15 in Room CC4.1. The session will shed light on the creative and technical journey behind Hidden Order, a major façade mapping commission for Casa Batlló. This project will be presented publicly on 31 January and 1 February, immediately preceding the opening of the ISE 2026 exhibition.
The Hidden Order artwork represents the fifth edition of Casa Batlló’s annual façade mapping, an event established as one of Barcelona’s most significant cultural attractions. Organised free for public enjoyment, the mapping commissions transform the building’s exterior into a dynamic canvas. In this edition, Clark and his team at United Visual Artists draw on the architectural legacy of Antoni Gaudí, exploring his engagement with geometry and nature. Through the interplay of light, motion and sound, the façade is deconstructed and recomposed, with choreography and human movement serving as essential elements in the visual composition.
During his ISE keynote, Clark will take attendees behind the scenes of the Casa Batlló project. He will discuss the concept development, research and prototyping phases, content systems, technical design, show control and the challenges of onsite delivery. The session is intended as a case study illustrating how architectural logic can be translated into a controllable visual system. Clark will emphasise the collaborative nature of the work, describing how United Visual Artists partners with a diverse group of technical artisans and specialists to bring complex ideas from studio tests to public realisation. He will also explain how real‑world constraints influenced both the technical design and the visual language of the piece.
The keynote aligns with ISE’s 2026 theme, Push Beyond, which aims to inspire the audiovisual (AV) and systems integration community to embrace innovative approaches and expand creative horizons. Organisers have highlighted that Clark’s practice, which merges human experience with technological systems, reflects this spirit of exploration and boundary‑pushing.
In addition to the façade mapping itself, Hidden Order extends into a new exhibition space within Casa Batlló. Titled ‘Beyond the Façade’, this site‑specific exhibition opens on 31 January and runs for five months on the building’s second floor. The immersive installation invites visitors to engage more deeply with Clark’s creative process, combining light, technology and spatial experience to reflect on themes such as the cycles of life and the relationship between human presence and architectural form. Through this exhibition, audiences are encouraged to see themselves reflected within the work, making the artistic exploration both personal and universal.
Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, commented on the announcement:
“We are delighted to welcome Matt Clark as our Creative Keynote for ISE 2026. Matt’s visionary approach and his ability to blend art, technology, and human experience truly embody the spirit of ‘Push Beyond’, our theme for ISE 2026. This extraordinary project, created by Casa Batlló in collaboration with Matt Clark, challenges us to see the world differently and inspires our community to explore new creative frontiers. I am confident that Matt’s keynote and the unveiling of Hidden Order at Casa Batlló will ignite fresh ambition and spark meaningful conversations across the global AV and systems integration industry.”
Clark’s participation at ISE 2026 offers attendees an opportunity to gain insight into the fusion of artistic ambition with technological rigour. As the event draws a global audience of professionals in AV, systems integration and related fields, his keynote is positioned as a highlight of the conference programme. The session is expected to attract interest from those keen to understand how creative technology can shape future environments and experiences.
The inclusion of Hidden Order and Beyond the Façade in the ISE programme underscores a growing recognition of the role that artistic practice can play in advancing technological and architectural discourse. By showcasing the work of United Visual Artists in such a prominent context, ISE 2026 aims to foster dialogue around the intersections of art, technology and the spaces we inhabit.
