Harbisson is the son of a Spanish mother and a Northern Irish father.[29] He was born with achromat vision.[30] He grew up in Barcelona where he studied piano and began to compose music at the age of 11.[31][32] At 16, he studied fine art at the Institut Alexandre Satorras, where he was given special permission to use no colour in his work.[33] His early works are all in black and white.[34][35]