Light, Code, and Improvisation with Manuel Palenque

Manuel Palenque shares how he got his start building projection mapping systems when the technology was brand new, what it’s like to design content for dome projections, and why the technical constraints of light and contrast matter more than most people realize. He talks about how AI tools like GitHub Copilot have expanded his ability to work across platforms like Unity, Unreal Engine, and web-based 3D, and explains his philosophy of using AI to build tools rather than generate results. Manuel also discusses his work with the DATARAIZ lab, where he and his collaborators are rebuilding the spirit of hacker spaces and open-source communities to bridge art and engineering. The episode closes with the story of one of his favorite projects: a light installation on a powerline tower that has been standing and evolving for over 14 years.

Topics Covered

• Getting started with creative technology: Learning vvvv, building custom systems for audiovisual performances, and riding the early wave of projection mapping
• AI as a tool-builder, not a result-generator: Using GitHub Copilot and VS Code to unlock platforms like Unity, Unreal Engine, and THREE.js for web-based VR and AR, and building tools rather than just generating images and video
• Live performance and the thrill of pressing the button: Why Manuel gravitates toward live events where the show depends on systems he built, and the balance between engineering and improvisation
• Dome projections: The technical challenges of contrast and brightness, designing for exploratory vs. fixed-point-of-view experiences, and creating a real-time collective interactive dome installation where audience members controlled visuals via QR codes on their phones
• The Buzludzha Monument: How an abandoned brutalist communist-era dome building in Bulgaria inspired Manuel’s artistic work
• Projection mapping a building: Logistics of light contamination, why abstract content and forced perspective work better than narrative characters, and why projector power is the biggest constraint
• Festival vs. public audiences: How attention span, client expectations, and narrative length shift depending on the setting
• Working with tech companies: Why even tech-savvy clients are still surprised by creative technology: “people haven’t seen it all”
• DATARAIZ lab: A Buenos Aires initiative rebuilding the hacker space spirit, bridging artists and engineers, and running workshops on interactive technology and dance
• Teaching immersive technology to dancers: Helping non-technical creators understand what’s possible with motion tracking, projection, and sensors
• The case for “less” in immersive tech: Using immersive experiences to get people off their phones and into shared, real-life interactions
• Tecnópolis powerline tower: The Coloso at Tecnópolis project, built on a power line tower that has been standing for 14+ years

Guest Bio

Manuel Palenque is a creative technologist and visual artist with over 15 years of experience specializing in immersive audiovisual experiences and interactive installations around the world. He has taught at universities and cultural institutions worldwide, and has led projects in places like Tokyo, Hong Kong, Berlin, and the United States.

Music

Published

Feb 24, 2026