The Dali Museum in St. Petersburg, Florida, is celebrating the surrealist artist’s birthday and legacy with a new artificial-intelligence experience. Visitors to the museum will be able to learn all about Salvador Dali’s life, work, and personality from the artist himself, in an exhibit designed to reimagine Dali in the present day. The “Dali Lives” exhibit will use machine learning to generate a likeness of Dali, who will greet visitors on a series of interactive screens and personally welcome guests, speak about present-day conditions, address the motivations behind his masterpieces, and even take selfies with guests.
Photo: Dali Lives
Artificial-Intelligence-Based Salvador Dali Experience to Premiere This Month
Photo: Dali Lives
The project was completed after sorting through hundreds of interviews, letters, quotes, and archival footage from the artist. Over 6,000 frames and 1,000 hours of machine learning were used to train an AI algorithm to learn the details of Dali’s face and generate a realistic version of Dali’s likeness. The result is a truly lifelike Dali.
Dr. Hank Hine, Director of the Dali Museum, said, “What ‘Dali Lives’ adds is a sense of emotion. If visitors can empathize with this man as a human being, then they can relate to his works much more directly and much more passionately. It’s a special entry into Dali’s spirit, allowing visitors to engage with the artist in a completely revolutionary way.”
The experience was inspired by Dali’s own fascination with technology and his interest in constantly exploring and experimenting with new media. “Dali Lives” will be a permanent installation at the museum and is scheduled to open on May 11, Dali’s 115th birthday. Tickets cost $24 for adults and can be purchased online. 