"I've always tried to look at things differently," said artist Eugenia Balcells.who died this SundayAs a pioneering audiovisual creator, she had one foot in philosophy and the other in science. ARA invited her to contribute to one of the iconic artist diaries we've produced over the years—with artists like Miquel Barceló, Perejaume, and Plensa, among others—and in November 2022, she collaborated with the newspaper's art and science teams on the concept of Visions: from the visions of the largest and smallest particles, through the artificial vision implemented in all kinds of machines, to the ultraviolet and infrared visions of certain animals. The entire diary broke with its usual structure and was illustrated with objects she connected to current events. Furthermore, we dedicated the entire ARA Domingo supplement to her, where We interviewed her"We must dare to dream of the best possible world," he told us.

Eugenia Balcells, who died this Sunday at the age of 82 from cancer, said that all her work revolves around two questions: Who do we want to be? And what kind of world do we want? "These are the two essential questions for humanity at this moment. And one is absolutely linked to the other: we cannot say what kind of world we want if we cannot say who we are. And we must answer this question for all the men and women of the planet." He explained in an interview on the ARAShe explored many avenues and, from very different perspectives and mediums, tried to provide, if not an answer, at least points of reference from which to reconsider and observe them. In retrospect, her work always considered the multiplicity of perspectives, whether by showcasing the stereotypes in which the media portrayed women, in pieces from the 1970s that anticipated many later reflections and critiques, or by reflecting with light and sound the beauty of the universe's complexity in pieces that have amazed scientists.

Eugenia Balcells (Barcelona, ​​​​1943) is an intellectually voracious artist: he is interested in all visions of science, economy, ecology, poetry, music... His works have a scientific character and at the same time existential and spiritual, as From the center (1981-1982), a pioneering video installation that Balcells herself defines as an "electronic Stonehenge" and which the MNAC is now presenting in its final version in the Oval Room after the Generalitat (Catalan government) purchased it for its collection. "I was seeking above all to capture, in some way, the intrinsically variable and changing nature of reality," explains Eugenia Balcells. "Reality is not just a series of physical objects next to each other, but rather we participate in an energetic dance; we are part of an incredible energetic dance that is working."