JOSÉ CARLOS
ESPINEL VELASCO

Experimental and multidisciplinary artist, designer and teacher. His main focus lies in the fusion of emerging and traditional technologies with a theme focused on sustainability in various areas. After completing his bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, with a specialization in Graphic Design and Painting, he began his professional career as a graphic designer. After a while, he made the decision to return to university and pursue a Master's Degree in Art, Creation + Research (MAC + i). His Final Master's Project focused on the reinterpretation of classic fairy tales, and his results ranged from printmaking and sculpture to the creation of an animated short film titled "Once upon a time..." (2008 ), which received international recognition. While studying the master's degree, he had the opportunity to become familiar with 3D printing technologies, which captivated him because of its artistic potential. Motivated by this, he decided to undertake doctoral studies at the same academic institution. During the course of his doctorate, he was awarded a joint research scholarship awarded by the University of California and the Complutense University of Madrid. This scholarship allowed him to spend a year at the campus of his choice at the University of California (UC), where he joined the Digital Arts and New Media program at Santa Cruz (UCSC), recognized for its focus on digital technologies applied to arts, including programming and robotics, among other fields. In 2015, he completed his doctorate by successfully defending his thesis titled "Digital processes and additive rapid prototyping systems applied to the creation of small-format sculptures and reliefs." During this period, he dedicated time to experimenting with various 3D printing technologies, with the purpose of exploring the formal possibilities of different techniques, such as FDM, SLS, SLA, among others, and the various materials associated with them. His passion for innovation and the application of diverse technologies has always been a constant factor throughout his professional career. He has actively contributed to artistic research through multiple projects that integrate digital technologies and art. His artistic production encompasses a wide range of expressions, including artist books created using various printmaking techniques, sculptures, interactive installations (such as "Theramin Shower", 2010), video art, and video games. A notable example of the latter is the platform game "Back to the Anemone" (2019), currently available on Google Play, which focuses on the issue of ocean acidification and its impacts on marine ecosystems. Over the past few years, his research and artistic interests have been oriented toward ecology and social justice, which is clearly reflected in his most recent works, exhibitions, and lectures. He was part of the Art, Technology and Social Commitment Research Group between 2019 and 2023, and is currently director of the Complutense Sustainability, Science and Art Research Group (SCIART-UCM). Additionally, he is one of the founding members of The Algae Society, an international group made up of artists, scientists and academics who collaborate, experiment, design and exhibit works related to climate change and ocean acidification (www.algaesociety.org ). These artistic collaborations have given rise to various exhibitions, among which the following stand out: "The Algae Society: Bioart Design Lab", held in July 2019 at the Moxi Museum in Santa Barbara (CA). "Drift & Migrate", held in November 2019 at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the UCM in Madrid, Spain. "MIKROS: A Hidden World" at Madrid's Planetarium.