How Vaka Interactiv is revolutionising museum portraits

  • 26/09/2018

Kiwi company Vaka Interactiv is revolutionising museum visits by bringing portraits to life.

Chief executive Jesse Armstrong says he wants to keep museum goers engaged for longer.

"We take a portrait, digitise it, animate it and bring it to life and we allow the storyteller in the portrait to tell their stories to people in a museum or an art gallery."

It's all a bit Harry Potter-esque, but with one big difference. Unlike the famous portraits dreamt up by JK Rowling the Vaka Interactive versions won't hold a conversation with you - yet.

"We want to get them talking with people, have that two-way engagement, that takes the experience to the whole new compelling level. We've also got this idea where they can move through frames."

The idea has been two years in the making, and Mr Armstrong says the best is yet to come.

Watch the video for Lisette Reymer's full story.