ING's 'Next Rembrandt' Wins Two Cannes Grand Prix, for Creative Data and Cyber

Using Data, Brand New Portrait Was Generated in Style of the Dutch Painter

Published On
Apr 05, 2016

Editor's Pick

"The Next Rembrandt," an ING campaign that used data to create an entirely new painting in the style of the old master, has won two Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, for Creative Data and Cyber.

In the Creative Data category, jury president Tash Whitmey, CEO at Havas helia, called the campaign "a beacon for creativity" because it takes data, which some find a bit "scary," and turns it into something beautiful that makes people feel comfortable with.

In the Cyber category, the project, by JWT Amsterdam, won one of two Grand Prix awarded. The other went to "Justino," a touching multi-platform story promoting the Spanish Lottery. Jury President Chloe Gottlieb praised "The Next Rembrandt," for how its creative emerged from the data."The data is not an output from the creativity. The data was the beginning, the source for the creativity. It's something coming from the digital world creating for the physical world, so in a sense, it's the opposite trajectory from the work we were seeing in Cyber just a few years ago."

Read more about the Creative Data category and the Cyber category over at AdAge.com.

Original story:

Netherlands bank ING has unveiled an ambitious project that claims to bring Dutch master Rembrandt "back to life" via a 3D-printed painting.

A new portrait of a man in black 17th-century clothing with a white collar and a hat was created using data from Rembrandt's total body of work, using "deep learning" algorithms and facial recognition techniques. The portrait consists of over 148 million pixels, based on 168,263 painting fragments from Rembrandt's art.

ING commissioned agency JWT Amsterdam to create the project to showcase what data and technology are capable of creating. Microsoft supported the project with its software and advisors from Delft University of Technology, The Mauritshuis and Museum Het Rembrandthuis also worked on the portrait.

The process involved analyzing all 346 of Rembrandt's paintings using high resolution 3D scans and digital files, and working with Rembrandt experts to determine the subject. After this, the subject's features were generated in the style of Rembrandt. A facial recognition algorithm identified and classified the most typical geometric patterns used by Rembrandt to paint human features, then generated new facial features for the painting. Next, these individual features were assembled into a fully formed face and bust according to Rembrandt's use of proportions.

When the 2D version of the painting was ready depth and texture were added. Finally, to bring the painting to life, an advanced 3D printer specially designed to make high-end reproductions of existing artwork was used.

Credits

Date
Apr 05, 2016
Agency :
JWT-Amsterdam
Brand :
ING
Client :
ING
Director, Communications :
Johan van der Zanden
Head of Sponsoring :
Tjitske Benedictus
Team Lead Internal and External Communications :
Marc Smulders
Senior Marketing Communications Manager :
Mirjam Smit
Sponsor Management Culure :
Eline Overkleeft
Event Manager :
Marleen Hasselo
Social Media Specialist :
Thijs Jaski
Director, Small and Midmarket Business :
Ron Augustus
Microsoft Azure Lead :
Erik-Jan van Vuuren
Product Marketing Manager :
Niels Lohuis
Corporate Communications Manager :
Yvette Lansbergen
Marcom Manager :
Eva de Vries
Solutions Architect :
Ruben Pool
Executive Creative Director :
Bas Korsten
Concept :
Bas Korsten
Concept :
Robert Nelk
Concept :
Mark Peeters
Creative Art :
Guney Soykan
Creative Copy :
Bas Korsten
Creative Copy :
Kasia Haupt Canning
Tech Lead :
Emanuel Flores
Design :
Vinesh Gayadin
Digital Director :
Jesse Houweling
Strategy :
Agustin Soriano
Developer :
Morris Franken
3D Artist :
Andre Ferwerda
Editor :
Tim Arnold
Photographer :
Robert Harrison
PR Manager :
Jessica Hartley
Brand Manager :
Elisah Boektje
Screen Producer :
Frederique van der Hoeven
Screen Producer :
Mariska Fransen
Print Producer :
Chariva Geurts
Animation :
Kreukvrij
Website Production :
Superhero Cheesecake
Special Advisor :
Jeroen van der Most
Film Production :
New Amsterdam Film Company
Director :
Juliette Stevens
Executive Producer :
Sander Verdonk

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Project Type