The Laboratory of Contemplative Arts (LAC) is a creative refuge for artists and thinkers from all over the world.
A physical refuge, located at the top of Tavertet, but above all a mental one: a space from which to resist the inertia and dispersion of our times.
It is not necessary to be a Buddhist to perceive that we live in a world where freneticism, immediacy and individualism of capitalism prevail. It is not essential, but in the LAC we are.
And we are so in a way that moves away from the new age imaginary caused by the Western adoption of Eastern philosophies. Our conception of Buddhism is risky and rigorous, making it a powerful weapon to face the challenges of the present, under the protection of a millenary tradition.
LAC’s relationship with Buddhism begins at Casa Virupa, a young non-monastic community based in Tavertet. In a very natural way, artists, creatives and thinkers became interested in the project.
As a result of this relationship, the idea of creating the Laboratory of Contemplative Arts arose, with the aim of offering optimal material, emotional and spiritual conditions to cultivate an imagination with which to think and create beyond the boundaries of the given.
We defend the idea of contemplative art.
We explore, without fear, artistic and creative expressions that push the limits of form, that shake our perception of experience.
We prioritize the creative process over results. We move forward, without goal; if we fall, there is no ground.
We distrust creative processes driven by aversion, attachment, competitiveness, and a craving for results and recognition. On the contrary, we cultivate a state of mind dominated by the distance and openness proper to aesthetic appreciation.
But we cannot ignore the social injustice that envelops and violates us.
The world is burning. But if we want to put out the fire, we must be able to observe the flames, to approach them, to understand the fire. If we are on fire, we are useless.
We are committed to Buddhist practices that allow us to achieve the mental and emotional balance we need, to embody mindfulness, to direct our gaze towards the world in order to act in a more lucid and supportive way.
We stop, be quiet, listen, contemplate, meditate and act accordingly.
We reflect on the meaning of the work and the creative processes with the creators, thinkers and artists of the LAC. We take responsibility for the impact of the state of mind on the way we look and act, for the creative and recreating power of art and philosophy, for their transformative potential on people and the world we live in.
We will achieve it: protected by the vision and wisdom of a millenary lineage, the art and thought practiced at the LAC will face the challenges of the present.
He is one of the youngest Western teachers of Tibetan Buddhism, founder of the Casa Virupa retreat and meditation center and community, as well as the director of the Contemplative Arts Laboratory. He studied jazz and improvised music, and dedicated himself professionally to music before devoting himself to Buddhist studies. He is the main commissioner of the music area of the LAC, and also coordinates the other commissions and oversees the direction, administration and production of the LAC.
CloseResearcher in applied ethics and philosophy teacher. She is currently pursuing a PhD in contemporary philosophy under the direction of Josep M. Esquirol. She is also a copy writer, community manager and generator of content and outreach materials.
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She studied graphic design and visual creation at the EINA school in Barcelona (2015-2019). She has worked as a curator at the exhibition space La Lonja de Creación del FABA (1018-2020) and as artistic director of the FABA festival in Manresa (2020-2022). She has also participated in social intervention projects such as RECLAM artistic intervention in public space for the City Council of Hospitalet de Barcelona (2019).
Closehe has studied literary studies at the University of Barcelona and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Comparative Studies in Literature, Art and Thought (MECLAP) at UPF. She has been awarded Nusos de incendio in 2019 by Fonoll publishing house and has since participated in presentations and recitals at L’Horiginal, the Utopia Markets, the Sant Cugat National Poetry Festival, Tocats de Lletra and the Poesía y + festival, as well as working for city councils and individuals via commissions.
CloseHe is the head of production and institutional relations of the Laboratorio de Artes Contemplativas, ensuring the establishment of links with institutions, entities and diverse profiles that fit with the project’s spirit. He has worked as production manager, producer and production assistant in projects such as Ladiferencia, Munfilms, CODEA, Abuela Studio and Rocafort, and currently works as a freelance producer. He is also a member of the Casa Virupa community.
After graduating in Theatre and Cognitive Sciences at New York University (NYU), he has collaborated with internationally renowned choreographers, directors and composers such as Joris Lacoste, Lenio Kaklea, Philip Venables, Rubén Polendo, Élise Simonnet, or Pierre-Yves Macé. The works in which he has participated as a performer, video creator or assistant director have taken place at the Automno Festival in Paris, the Kunstenfestivaldesarts, the Wiener Festwochen and the International Beckett Festival. He also works as a software developer.
Graduated in industrial design at Elisava and Master in interdisciplinary studies of design and communication at the same university. Since 2015 she is part of Domestic Data Streamers, where she is currently project manager and head of the department of exhibitions and cultural projects. A fan of the performing arts, she has also studied drama and has made several collaborations with the company Íntims Produccions. Currently she is also a permanent volunteer at Casa Virupa and is part of the creative team of the LAC.
She is responsible for the administration and treasury of the project, in addition to providing customer service. Academically, she has a degree in Mathematics from the University of Barcelona and post-compulsory studies in business administration and management from the EAE school in Barcelona. She has also worked as a technician in institutional organizations in Osona.
She is a financial advisor and also has experience in the legal field, where she has practiced law. She provides support to the LAC Foundation’s research and grants management team, as well as legal advice on LAC Foundation procedures and events.
