347 years after his death, one of the greatest Masters of all time is brought back to life to create one more masterpiece. But this time, data is the painter and technology the brush: The Next Rembrandt.
The Next Rembrandt is a 3D printed painting made completely out of Rembrandt-data. All of his 346 paintings were analysed using hi-res 3D scans and digital files upscaled by a deep learning algorithm.
Facial recognition and machine software was designed to understand Rembrandt’s style and use those learnings to generate new facial features, which were assembled based on his use of geometric proportions.
Finally, a height map was created to mimic Rembrandt’s brushstrokes. The file was brought to life through an advanced 3D printer that printed 13 layers of paint based UV-ink.
The Next Rembrandt was unveiled and exhibited in Amsterdam on the 5th of April being both the medium and message.
Creative Execution
To make sure we engaged as many people as we could, we invited various experts, the press and the general public to the unveiling and exhibition of The Next Rembrandt in Amsterdam, the place where Rembrandt worked and lived.
A modern art gallery was transformed into an exhibition space with big screens with the actual algorithms at work, playing behind the easel with the painting, made out of zero’s and ones.
This special gallery was the place where the conversation started.
Via an online launch film, people all over the world were invited to nextrembrandt.com, where they could dive deeper into the process of creating the digital painting.
And a 20 minute documentary added another layer to the campaign focussing on the battle of man versus machine.
Sparking and fueling a global conversation about where data and technology can take us. About ING’s innovation defying imagination.
People from all over the world came to experience the unveiling and exhibition in Amsterdam. There the global conversation started.
-Earned media value: 12.5 million euro.
-The Next Rembrandt was global trending topic, reporting 10 million Twitter impressions on unveiling-day, rising to 25 million impressions.
-Over 1.400 articles (and counting) were written.
-All major news networks covered the unveiling, commenting on its meaning for future innovations.
-Globally over 1.8 billion media impressions.
-On launch day Fortune Magazine reported an increase in stock value for ING (ING ^1.22%) and partner Microsoft (MSFT ^ 0.49%).
-After launch, Google reported ING’s Search Interest increased by 61.29% and Microsoft by 20%.
Next to the ongoing global conversation about the meaning for our industry and the future of creativity, there was another fundamental result: the technology developed for The Next Rembrandt is now used for the restauration of damaged and partially lost Masterpieces.
As a global bank, ING has been focussing on innovation as the way forward. But so far, innovations have been targeted at banking products and not at media.
The Next Rembrandt is a medium of innovation that pushes the boundaries of the imagination. It’s a 3D-printed painting made out of over 11 billion Rembrandt pixels. It brings data and technology to a world that’s riddled with tradition, rather than innovation: ING’s sponsorship of Dutch arts and culture.
Building ING’s reputation as one of the most innovative banks in the world. And raising some provocative questions for the world to consider…
Insights, Strategy and the Idea
If you want to engage the world, if you want to get the world talking about an innovative medium, you have to go beyond existing boundaries.
You have to defy imagination.
The Next Rembrandt brings back to life the Master of Shadow and Light. But this time, data is the painter and technology the brush.
We dove deep into Rembrandt’s body of work, analysing all of his 346 paintings on a pixel by pixel basis. Statistical and demographical data were used to determine the subject of the painting.
Facial recognition and machine learning software was designed to create the new portrait, based on the data of over 11 billion pixels.
A highly advanced 3D printer brought the digital file to life.
Leaving us with a physical medium of ING’s innovation message, that was unveiled and exhibited in Amsterdam to start a converastion about where data and technology can take us.