We last spoke with Los Cabos visual artist Ivan Guaderrama a little more than two years ago. Since his interactive gallery (located in the heart of San Jose Del Cabo in the Art District) continues to rank in the top 10 percent of attractions globally on TripAdvisor, and #1 among places to visit in San José del Cabo for nine consecutive years, we thought we’d check in with him and ask him what he’s working on now.
1. Ivan, last time we spoke, you had mentioned you’d be working on creating more augmented reality experiences throughout Los Cabos. Were you able to do that, and how did it turn out?
Yes, absolutely. Over the past two years, we’ve continued expanding the interactive side of our work by combining art, technology, and immersive experiences.
What we discovered is that people no longer want to simply observe art; they want to interact with it and become part of the experience. That led us to develop more interactive installations, augmented reality experiences, and AI-driven concepts that create a stronger emotional connection with visitors.
The response has been very positive because the experiences feel memorable, personal, and highly shareable.
2. What kinds of emerging tools and formats have you explored?
One of our biggest focuses has been artificial intelligence and the development of our own software tools.
We’ve been creating custom AI systems for interactive art experiences, audience engagement, and creative development. At the same time, we’ve expanded into building AI-powered automation solutions that help businesses improve communication, customer interaction, organization, and efficiency.
For us, technology is not just about innovation; it’s about creating experiences that feel more human, emotional, and meaningful.
3. Which have been most successful in regards to audience interaction? Can you give us an example?
The most successful experiences have been the ones where visitors actively participate instead of simply observing the artwork.
Today, people are constantly searching for experiences. In many ways, travel, entertainment, and even shopping are driven by the desire to feel something memorable. That’s one of the areas we’ve specialized in: creating experiences that emotionally connect people with the art.
One example, is our interactive installations where the artwork responds to touch, movement, or audience interaction. We are also beginning to work with advanced sensors capable of detecting heart rhythms from about two meters away. This opens the possibility for installations and artworks that can generate music in real time based on a person’s heartbeat.
What excites me most is when technology stops feeling digital and starts feeling emotional and alive.
4. What are you working on now, and/or excited to work on next?
One of the projects I’m most excited about right now is a new augmented reality platform we recently finished developing.
What makes it different is that it allows businesses to create interactive augmented reality experiences much more easily and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional AR development. The platform works directly from a browser, so users don’t need to download an app, which removes one of the biggest barriers to interaction.
This opens opportunities for hotels, restaurants, galleries, and many other businesses to create immersive marketing experiences and connect with customers in a much more interactive way.
I believe the future of branding, marketing, and art will be centered around experiences that people can truly engage with.
5. Please tell us of any current events or upcoming exhibitions customers can see when visiting your gallery.
When visiting the gallery, guests can experience several of our classic interactive works where touching the artwork generates musical notes and sound.
Visitors can also explore a collection called Smiling Jesus, where the paintings come to life through augmented reality experiences.
One of our newest experiences uses artificial intelligence trained with my own artistic style. Guests can upload a photo and receive a personalized self-portrait created in my painting style in about a minute.
We’re also developing a new installation that detects visitors’ heartbeats and transforms them into music in real time, creating a deeply personal and emotional interaction between the person and the artwork.
Our goal is always to create experiences people remember long after leaving the gallery.
This article was created in partnership with FIPROTUR Los Cabos under the private trust. See the website disclaimer here. For more information, visit https://fiproturloscabos.com.
