Presented by: ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture
Venue: Carrer d’Espronceda 326, Nau 10, 08027 Barcelona
Opening: Thrursday, May 14, 2026 (19:00 – 21:30)
On view: May 14–17, 2026
(visits from 17:00 to 19:00 by appointment at info@espronceda.net)
A synesthetic exploration of the relationship between sound, color, and perception
ESPRONCEDA – Institute of Art & Culture is proud to present Conexión, a solo exhibition by artist Clara Lotta Dittmer, as part of the ESPRONCEDA residency programme. This marks her second exhibition at ESPRONCEDA following her residency in 2019, when she was invited as the winner of the Arte Laguna Prize in Venice.
The exhibition is framed within a series of special events, including a pre-opening concert on May 10 and the official opening on May 14, activating the dialogue between painting and music.
The exhibition explores the intersection between painting and music, where sound becomes image and visual composition unfolds as a temporal, sensory experience.
Sound as image, image as experience
In Clara Lotta Dittmer’s practice, every image, sensory impression, and energy is deeply connected to sound. Having grown up in a musical environment and trained as a cellist from an early age, she develops a language in which painting and music are inseparably intertwined.
Conexión unfolds as a dialogue between figuration and abstraction, between reality and imagination, and between external perception and internal visualization. The works emerge from synesthetic experiences, where sounds translate into color, rhythm, and spatial composition. Rather than representing music, the paintings function as its visual counterpart. Color, material, and gesture become equivalents of vibration, intensity, and tempo, transforming the act of painting into an extension of musical expression.
Duration, perception, and the act of viewing
The exhibition is also rooted in the artist’s reflections on art reception and the dynamics of gallery spaces. Observing how viewers often feel uncertain about how long to engage with a work, Dittmer introduces music as a temporal framework—offering a duration for viewing.
This is not a constraint, but an invitation: to remain longer, to observe more deeply, and to move beyond intuitive habits of looking. Through this approach, the experience of painting becomes extended in time, allowing new associations and inner responses to emerge.
Atmosphere, duration, and perception become central elements. The works activate rather than illustrate, opening a space where each viewer forms a personal connection—a conexión.
Programme — Music, space, and live activation
The exhibition is accompanied by a performative program that reinforces the connection between painting and music, rooted in the legacy of the cello in Barcelona and inspired by composer Gaspar Cassadó.
Concert — May 10 from 12:30 to 14:00
Cellist Òscar Alabau, principal cellist of the Gran Teatre del Liceu Orchestra, will perform the Suite for Cello Solo of the Barcelona born composer Gaspar Cassadó.The paintings will be presented sequentially in dialogue with the music, creating a real-time synesthetic experience.
Performative opening — May 14 from 19:00 to 21:30
During the opening, Clara Lotta Dittmer will perform 2 pieces, activating the relationship between sound and image in a live setting. The musicians will perform behind a translucent curtain, creating a subtle shadow play that emphasizes gesture, presence, and the essence of the connection between disciplines.
About Clara Lotta Dittmer
Clara Lotta Dittmer (Hamburg, 1992) is a painter and cellist whose practice lies at the intersection of music and visual arts. Her work explores the translation of sound into color, form, and space, creating dense, immersive visual compositions. She studied at HAW Hamburg and the Accademia di Belle Arti in Bologna, and has exhibited in institutions including Hamburger Kunsthalle and Kunstmuseum Bonn. After receiving the Arte Laguna Special Prize in Venice, she developed part of her research at ESPRONCEDA in 2019. She currently lives and works between Hamburg and Barcelona.
About Òscar Alabau
Òscar Alabau (Barcelona, 1988) is an outstanding Catalan cellist, principal cellist of the Gran Teatre del Liceu Orchestra, and professor at the Conservatori Superior de Música del Liceu. His practice bridges performance and interpretation, engaging closely with the expressive tradition of the cello. He has performed internationally in venues such as Wigmore Hall (London), Palau de la Música Catalana, and Barbican Hall, and has appeared at major festivals including Gstaad, Aspen, and Santander. In Conexión, he performs the three movements of Gaspar Cassadó’s Suite for Cello Solo in front of the paintings.,
About NEB & Inclusió
The exhibition is part of NEB & Inclusió, an ESPRONCEDA programme developed as part of NEB (New European Bauhaus), an initiative of the European Commission from 2021 that has as objective a sustainable and inclusive future through multidisciplinary art practices.
NEB & Inclusió promotes collaborative artistic practices that address contemporary challenges such as social transformation, cultural diversity, and the relationship between individuals and their environments. Through the intersection of art, design, science, and innovation, the programme fosters new ways of imagining and inhabiting the world in a more sustainable, inclusive, and sensitive way.
Press contact
Maria Rubies
maria.rubies@espronceda.net
+34 607 639 552
