Dreamers in the Park: How Modern Technologies Are Changing the Way We Experience Art

At the exhibition In the City of Dreamers: Chagall, Picasso, Matisse, the works of these iconic artists are reimagined through augmented reality and AI-powered generative graphics. The galleries feature 30 graphic works by Marc Chagall, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse, artists for whom the city became a landscape of love and creative freedom.

A Place Where Dreams Take Shape

The project is organized by MTS in partnership with Gorky Park and Altmans Gallery. The exhibition centers on works by Marc Chagall, generously provided by Altmans Gallery and private collectors. They are being exhibited in Russia for the first time.

For Chagall, the city occupied a special place in his artistic imagination, serving as both inspiration and a source of creative energy. The year 2027 will mark the 140th anniversary of the artist's birth, making this exhibition an early chapter in the commemorative events already beginning to unfold.

"Today, as Marc Chagall's name stands at the center of the cultural conversation, with exhibitions and lectures taking place across the country and the artist's 140th anniversary approaching, we are delighted that Gorky Park has become a meeting point for art, technology, and urban life. Here, classical art meets innovation, giving visitors an entirely new way to experience the work of these celebrated artists," said Elizaveta Fokina, Director of Gorky Park.

Yet the lithographs are only one layer of the exhibition. Using augmented reality, visitors can discover stories behind the artworks and learn how they were created by scanning a QR code that opens a web application. The exhibition's centerpiece, however, is its AI-powered interactive experience. Visitors can create their own drawings on a tablet, after which a neural network transforms them in the distinctive style of Marc Chagall or Henri Matisse. Another installation allows guests to see themselves through the eyes of the artists: a live portrait appears on screen, rendered in the style of Chagall, Matisse, or Picasso.

The exhibition is open in the ArtVitok space through August 30, and admission is free.

Looking Ahead

In the City of Dreamers: Chagall, Picasso, Matisse marks only the first chapter of a broader series of experiments exploring the intersection of art and emerging technologies. According to the organizers, the second stage of the ArtVitok project will focus on the future itself. Technology will become not merely a supporting tool, but the primary artistic medium through which contemporary artists explore how 5G could reshape everyday life.

The project is aimed at both Moscow residents and visitors. It highlights the city's tourism potential, encourages the development of museum and exhibition technologies, and helps introduce younger audiences to art.

In a broader sense, initiatives like ArtVitok are reshaping museum practice and the way people encounter cultural heritage. Classical art is presented through software, generative graphics, interactive guides, and digital platforms. Together, these approaches reflect Russia's broader strategy for the digital transformation of cultural heritage and the development of tourism infrastructure.

A New Synthesis of Art and Technology

ArtVitok continues a growing trend toward collaboration among technology companies, cultural institutions, and the creative industries. What sets the project apart is its combination of authentic graphic works by internationally recognized artists with augmented reality and generative artificial intelligence.

Over the next several years, similar hybrid exhibition formats are likely to spread beyond major cities into regional cultural institutions. The most successful experiences will likely be those that require no expensive specialized equipment and instead run through visitors' smartphones. Technology companies are already developing new forms of museum interactivity. Meanwhile, important questions remain unresolved, including copyright issues surrounding AI-generated content. Researchers and legal experts continue working to define the regulatory framework for AI, including its role in supporting the creative industries and expanding artistic expression.

As a technology leader, MTS develops innovative solutions at the intersection of different fields. Today, we are opening more than an exhibition. We are creating a new space for dialogue between the era of the School of Paris masters and the technological era we are helping to shape. It is an opportunity to show that digital solutions and emerging technologies do not compete with art – they complement one another, enriching the visitor experience and making it deeper and more distinctive. We are especially proud that some of the works on display have never before left private collections, giving visitors in Russia a rare opportunity to experience Chagall's graphic works in person

Inessa Galaktionova

Chief Executive Officer of MTS