VIVA DALÍ: THE DALÍ MUSEUM BRINGS SALVADOR DALÍ BACK TO LIFE THROUGH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Avant-garde Experience Announced on the 30th Anniversary of Dalí’s Death
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (January 23, 2019) – Imagine legendary surrealist artist Salvador Dalí personally welcoming you to the museum, even sharing observations on current events and the motivations behind his masterpieces. The Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida announced today, on the 30th anniversary of the artist’s death, that it will celebrate Dalí’s art and legacy with “Dalí Lives,” a groundbreaking experience to be unveiled exclusively at The Dalí on the 115th anniversary of the artist’s birth, May 11, 2019.
Visitors to the Museum will soon have the opportunity to learn more about Dalí’s life and work from the person who knew him best: the artist himself. Using an artificial intelligence (AI)-based cutting edge technique, the new “Dalí Lives” experience employs machine learning to create a version of Dalí’s likeness, resulting in an uncanny resurrection of the mustached master. When the experience opens, visitors will for the first time be able to interact with an engaging lifelike Salvador Dalí on a series of screens throughout the Museum.
“Dalí was prophetic in many ways and understood his historical importance,” says Dr. Hank Hine, executive director at The Dalí. “He wrote, If someday I may die, though it is unlikely, I hope the people in the cafes will say, ‘Dalí has died, but not entirely.’ This technology lets visitors experience his bigger-than-life personality in addition to our unparalleled collection of his works.”
The Dalí partnered with Goodby Silverstein & Partners of San Francisco (GS&P) to bring the master of Surrealism to life. The Museum began this immersive project by collecting and sharing hundreds of interviews, quotes, and existing archival footage from the prolific artist. GS&P used these extensive materials to train an AI algorithm to “learn” aspects of Dalí’s face, then looked for an actor with the same general physical characteristics of Dalí’s body. The AI then generates a version of Dalí’s likeness to match the actor’s face and expressions. To educate visitors while engaging with “Dalí Lives,” the Museum used authentic writings from Dalí himself – coupled with dynamic present-day messages – reenacted by the actor.
The “Dalí Lives” project further demonstrates the Museum’s commitment to staying on the forefront of technology, embracing new methods to engage guests in unconventional ways to delight and educate them about Salvador Dalí and his works. Sometimes controversial like Dalí himself, this emerging technology is being used for the first time in inspiring service to art.
The revolutionary experience has been announced alongside introductory teaser videos. While gazing directly into the camera, Dalí appears to challenge the idea of his own death, providing an impressive preview of what the experience will look like when it premieres at The Dalí Museum in on May 11, 2019.
This is the third collaboration between The Dalí and GS&P. The duo first introduced “Gala Contemplating You” as part of a 2014 exhibition which turned a visitor’s selfie into a projected, full-scale replica of the 1976 monumental painting Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea Which at Twenty Meters Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln (Homage to Rothko). Then in 2016, they partnered together for the “Dreams of Dalí” virtual reality experience, which transports viewers into Dalí’s painting, Archaeological Reminiscence of Millet’s “Angelus.” “Dreams of Dalí” has been recognized by the Cannes Lions and Webby Awards, among others, and guests can enjoy the experience as part of the permanent collection at The Dalí or on their own VR devices.
To view the teaser videos and for additional information on “Dalí Lives” and The Dalí Museum, visit TheDali.org/DaliLives.
ABOUT THE DALÍ
The Dalí Museum, located in the heart of beautiful downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to an unparalleled collection of Salvador Dalí art, featuring more than 2,000 works comprising nearly 100 oil paintings; over 100 watercolors and drawings; and 1,300 prints, photographs, sculptures and objets d’art.
The building is itself a work of art, featuring 1,062 triangular-shaped glass panels – the only structure of its kind in North America. Nicknamed The Enigma, it provides an unprecedented view of St. Petersburg’s picturesque waterfront. The Museum has attracted the world’s attention, and among the other distinguished awards it has received, it is the first and only museum in the Southeastern United States to be recognized internationally by the Michelin Guide with a three-star rating.
The Dalí Museum’s current special exhibition, “Magritte & Dalí” is open through May 19, 2019. This exhibit is the first to explore the works of renowned Surrealists René Magritte and Salvador Dalí as a sole pairing, and features unique interactive elements designed to transport visitors into the artists’ imaginations.
The Dalí Museum is located at One Dalí Boulevard, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701. For additional information contact 727.823.3767 or visit TheDali.org.
ABOUT GOODBY, SILVERSTEIN & PARTNERS
Goodby Silverstein & Partners is an internationally-awarded creative company whose mission is to create experiences that reach millions and even billions, but seem to speak to one of us alone. They call this effect “mass intimacy.” GS&P has created commercials and digital experiences for BMW, Pepsi, Budweiser, Frito-Lay, Comcast, E*TRADE, The New Yorker Magazine, Adobe, and got milk? They are also well-known for artistic installations ranging from OKGO videos to the CheetosVision app to the #IAmAWitness anti-bullying emoji (the first emoji for a social cause).
Media Contact: Tara Tufo |ttufo@paradiseadv.com | 727.821.5155 x 126