CM Málaga culture and tech forum introduces attendees to Frida Kahlo and art masterpieces

A visitor ran her fingertips over a reproduction of Girl with a Pearl Earring, Johannes Vermeer's masterpiece known as the Mona Lisa of the North. The painting featured reliefs and textures that Vermeer did not include in the original.

"Here, the only thing forbidden is not touching," ACM representative said on behalf of the company specialising in the design and production of equipment for museums and exhibition halls. The wavy lines represented the turban; the vertical bars, the fabric falling over the shoulder; the crosses indicated the neck; and the dots defined the clothing. ACM had adapted the artwork so that people with visual impairments could discover it through touch.

The scene perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the fifth CM Málaga culture and tech forum. For two days, the halls of the Fycma trade, fair and conference centre transformed into a showcase of new technologies in cultural spaces.

The main topic for discussion was how to make museums more accessible and inclusive. Amid roundtables, live demonstrations, technical meetings and dozens of projects from across Europe, culture experts, technology companies and institutions shared ideas all centred around the same theme: what will the cultural experience of the coming years be like?

The response at a time when artificial intelligence is on the rise takes many different forms.

Another area of the Fycma featured a large screen that allowed visitors to 'talk' with Frida Kahlo. In another exhibit space, an AI-generated Roman soldier answered questions about the weapons and tactics of the Roman Empire. "Hail!" greeted the AI-generated soldier. "In Rome, the most common weapon was the gladius, a short sword for close combat. We also used the pilum, a type of spear thrown before hand-to-hand combat. For defense, we carried a scutum, a large, curved shield."

The goal of using AI, Newtonlab said, is not to replace the guide or the curator but to enhance the experience.

"Wow!" regional minister of culture Patricia del Pozo said during the opening walk. Alongside reproductions adapted for people with visual impairments, there were immersive audio systems, sound panels without visible speakers and tools designed to adapt cultural content to different sensory abilities.

The Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga had its own stand. Those who put on virtual reality headsets disappeared for a few minutes from the bustle of the fair to travel back in time with a virtual tour of the subsoil beneath the Villalón palace. The experience allowed visitors to explore ancient Roman Malaca and observe the reconstruction of the fish-salting factory, the dwellings and the nymphaeum found under the museum, which can also be visited in person.

A guitar built from tins of tuna was hanging on one panel, one of the most eye-catching pieces from the Play It Again project, led by Japón Montajes de Arte, which had transformed waste materials into musical instruments. The initiative linked recycling and creativity in a way reminiscent of Malaga-based trompe-l’œil artist Julio Anaya. On the second day, it brought together more than 100 participants in a large percussion session using instruments made from recycled materials.

Craftsmanship had also found its place among screens and sensors. At one stand, visitors paused in front of panels explaining a new European Commission-backed seal designed to protect craft and industrial products linked to specific regions.

While some companies focused on bringing heritage closer to audiences, others stressed the importance of preserving it. At the Gnoss stand, a prominent message read: "Culture is also protected through technology." The company's work focuses on digital preservation, an increasingly important field for museums and institutions safeguarding vast archives of data, images and documents.

Just a few steps away, a darkened room had drawn small groups of visitors. Images of monuments, landscapes and heritage sites filled the walls while representatives from Be Heritage explained how a single tool could document, preserve and promote cultural heritage. The platform aimed to bring together tasks that are usually handled separately.

CM Málaga also made space for contemporary creation with the installation Hilar de vuelta, featuring works by Irene Verdejo, Clara Ballesteros, Eva García, Rafa Garrido, Lourdes María Castillo, Paula Hernández, Elu López and Lucas Selezio de Souza. Visitors moved slowly among suspended dresses, fabrics hanging from the ceiling and drawings traced onto transparent surfaces. Some paused to photograph the details, others stood in silence for a few seconds before continuing their route.

The event showed that the digital transformation of culture no longer limits itself to screens or apps. Technology appeared instead as a tool that allowed visitors to touch a Vermeer painting, speak with AI-generated historical figures, walk through a lost Roman city or preserve cultural archives intended to last for generations. Different solutions, all serving the same ambition: bring culture further and to more people.

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