Munch Museum Gives AI-Powered Access to Artist's Drawings

Oslo's Munch Museum has taken the angst out of accessing the prolific artist's vast archive of drawings.

The interactive exhibition Edvard Munch – Connect the Lines, which opens on Friday, is an AI-assisted exploration of hundreds of Munch's work on paper.

The Norwegian artist created around 15,000 drawings, half of which are in the museum's collection. Many are too fragile to be displayed for more than a limited time. Now, they are accessible thanks to a project developed in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services.

Using an AI-driven interface, visitors can discover the hidden connections and patterns within his preparatory and independent works. The experience is augmented by a specially commissioned soundscape by artist Carmen Villain.

Munch’s drawings span caricatures and anatomical studies of the human figure, as well as narrative works with a comic-inspired sensibility. They often formed the foundation for his best-known paintings, including, most notably, The Scream and Madonna.

The exhibition opens June 26 and runs through November 29.