Talking Paintings at Fine Arts Museum in Gent
Visitors never experienced anything like this before
The Museum of Fine Arts Ghent (MSK) is one of Belgium’s most prestigious art museums, housing an extensive collection of paintings, sculptures, and drawings from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
A fine arts museum isn’t the place where you’d expect cutting-edge tech, yet the project was just too good for the museum to pass up.
2 x national news
Making young people think about AI
The Talking Artwork
1. The Cattle Shed by Jenny Montigny
MSK sought to enhance visitor engagement with innovative technology. The museum’s focus on interactive experiences and curatorial expertise made it an ideal setting for Talking Pictures, allowing AI-powered art pieces to converse with visitors. The AI system reformulates curator-provided insights, making art more accessible and personal.
Example conversation
In this video you hear an example conversation with the anonymous woman in the cattle shed. It was recorded on an older voice model and it should be noted that voice quality is now MUCH better. You do however get a sense of the type of answers this painting can give to visitor’s questions.
How does it work?
It takes input via a microphone. You choose one of 4 languages first (English, Dutch, French or German) and then just hold a button while you speak. You can get a response in < 2 seconds.
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2. Nel Deurinckx by Rik Wouters
The first AI-powered painting was Jenny Montigny’s “The Cattle Shed”. Visitors could interact with an anonymous woman from early 20th-century Flanders depicted in the painting. After the successful launch, a second Talking Picture was added featuring Hélène “Nel” Deurinckx, the wife and muse of Belgian Fauvist painter Rik Wouters
Example conversation
In this video you can hear an example conversation with Nel Deurinckx, a painting by Rik Wouters. The painting gives answers in real time. It was filmed during installation in the Museum of Fine Arts in Ghent.
Additional Info
- The Talking Pictures AI at MSK supports multiple languages, making it accessible to international visitors
- The project’s success led to a 2024 expansion, with additional installations and language options
- The Talking Pictures AI at MSK supports multiple languages, making it accessible to international visitors
Visitor feedback
This video shows what visitors had to say about the installation at MSK.
Let’s talk!
If our project resonates with you and you see potential for a collaboration, we would 💙 to hear from you.