Vienna Tourism Board has launched a new marketing campaign named “UnArtificial Art” to encourage the next generation of travelers to visit Austria’s cultural capital. The campaign aims to promote some of the city’s most iconic masterpieces using artificial intelligence (AI).
They have re-created some of Austria’s celebrated art pieces, adding cats to the paintings to inspire viewers to appreciate the art and have some fun. The CEO of the Vienna Tourism Board, Norbert Kettner, said the campaign aims to show that AI art is only possible because of the real works made by real humans and to remind viewers to rediscover Vienna’s art scene.
According to Norbert Kettner, CEO of the Vienna Tourism Board, the Viennese Modernism movement from over a century ago is still influencing contemporary art through the algorithms that guide AI creations. It’s uncertain how Gustav Klimt, who was known for having multiple pet cats at any given time, would react to the addition of cats in his famous paintings. Nevertheless, the “see the art behind AI art” campaign will undoubtedly spark interpretation among its viewers and encourage them to appreciate Vienna’s art scene.
Norbert Kettner highlighted the importance of acknowledging Vienna’s role in enabling the rise of artificial intelligence, amidst its increasing presence in our lives. Vienna utilized AI technology to reconstruct Gustav Klimt’s renowned paintings that were destroyed by Nazis nearly 75 years ago, relying on black-and-white photos as references.
The Belvedere Museum, a popular attraction in Vienna, has partnered with Google Arts & Culture to revive classical paintings in vivid colors through the use of AI. Additionally, visitors can celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Belvedere, home to the world’s largest collection of Klimt’s works, including his iconic painting, The Kiss.
