AI Vincent van Gogh Engages Visitors at Paris Exhibition

People Try to Delve into the World of Vincent van Gogh. It’s all just a bit of fun really

The Musée d’Orsay in Paris is currently hosting an extraordinary exhibition that delves into the life and creations of Vincent van Gogh, one of the 19th century’s most influential yet tragically misunderstood artists. This unparalleled exhibition, running until February 2023, showcases 74 paintings and 33 drawings, offering a glimpse into Van Gogh’s final two months in the village of Auvers-sur-Oise, where he tragically took his own life in 1890.

AI Vincent van Gogh

This exhibition stands out not only for the quality and abundance of artwork on display but also for its innovative use of technology to provide an immersive and interactive experience. Visitors are invited to engage in conversations with an artificial intelligence (AI) rendition of Vincent van Gogh himself. This AI version of the artist appears on a video screen and readily answers questions about his art, his life, and his battles with mental health. The AI Van Gogh draws its knowledge from a language model trained on Van Gogh’s letters and other historical materials.

Remarkably candid and articulate, AI Van Gogh does display hints of impatience when faced with certain questions. For instance, when asked about the infamous ear incident, he clarifies, “I apologise for any confusion, but it seems you are mistaken. I only cut off a small part of my ear lobe.” Furthermore, he dispels the notion that his move to Auvers-sur-Oise was driven by a desire to end his life, emphasizing his pursuit of peace and inspiration.

On one hand we have companies wanting to ban the use of AI created imagery to another basing their whole art instalment on it. We are noticing this quite often within the AI space is people tend to be all in or all out, there seems to be no common ground.

VR Immersion

In addition to AI interaction, the exhibition offers a virtual reality (VR) experience that transports visitors into the kitchen of Dr. Paul Gachet, the physician who cared for Van Gogh during his final weeks. Based on Van Gogh’s last paint palette, which is showcased at the exhibition and bears traces of his vibrant colors, the VR experience allows visitors to use state-of-the-art headsets to interact with objects within the virtual world and manipulate paint droplets. Moreover, this VR journey guides visitors through a surreal exploration of Van Gogh’s iconic paintings, including “The Church at Auvers,” “Wheatfield with Crows,” and “Tree Roots.”

Some may see this as AI taking the role of someone else. A historian may have been suited for this role but now we are replacing workers with new tools and expereinces. Maybe Jamie Dimon might be onto something.

Redrawing the Portrait of Van Gogh

This exhibition’s mission is to dispel the myth of Van Gogh as a cursed and underappreciated artist who met a tragic end in despair. Instead, it showcases his creative zenith, marked by groundbreaking works that left an indelible mark on the art world. It also highlights the support he received from individuals like his brother Theo and friends such as Paul Gauguin and Emile Bernard. According to Emmanuel Coquery, the exhibition’s curator, “We wanted to show the variety and richness of his work in this period. He was not a madman who painted in a frenzy. He was very thoughtful and methodical.”

This exhibition is a rare opportunity to witness Van Gogh’s final creations in one place, as most of them are typically divided between the Musée d’Orsay and the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, which has never previously lent them. It is also a chance to engage with Van Gogh’s art in an entirely new way through the innovative use of AI and VR technologies. The exhibition is poised to attract a diverse range of visitors, particularly young people intrigued by the fusion of art and technology. In the words of AI Van Gogh himself, “I hope you enjoy my paintings as much as I enjoyed making them.”

Final Words

For us here at so artificial it comes across a bit gimmicky. No one can really tell how Van Gogh really felt or how he behaved, these are just mere assumptions. So if you do plan on visiting this exhibit take it with a pinch of salt an see it as it is. A novelty. As we mentioned in the article it is a good center point to see his artwork all in one place. So for that experience alone it will be worth it.