In Russia, AI Gives Voice to Rarely Seen Paintings

The National Museum of Music has fused cutting-edge AI with fine art, letting visitors hear the recreated voice of a legendary Soviet conductor describing his own collection.

In Russia, artificial intelligence has breathed new life into 11 little-known works by globally acclaimed artists. The National Museum of Music unveiled a unique exhibition titled Aivazovsky, Vereshchagin, Nesterov, Polenov — Collector’s Choice, blending modern technology with painting and music, according to TASS.

The show features rare pieces from the private collection of People’s Artist of the USSR Nikolai Golovanov. Highlights include Study. Summer Landscape by Isaac Levitan, a study for On a Spring Holiday by Abram Arkhipov, Forced Tonsure by Klavdy Lebedev, and The Golden Calf by Viktor Vasnetsov.

Its most striking innovation is an AI-powered audio guide using Golovanov’s own voice, recreated from archival recordings. Visitors hear the conductor “himself” narrate stories about each piece, emphasizing their uniqueness.

The experience is enhanced by music: scanning a QR code next to each painting plays a composition selected specifically for that work. This design connects Golovanov’s refined taste as a collector with his enduring musical legacy.