Founded in 2017 by Sergiu Ardelean and Codin Popescu, art tech start-up Artivive is breathing new life into the world's museums and galleries with a deceptively simple app. All museumgoers need to do is point the camera on their smartphone  or tablet at an artwork and they will be immersed in the world behind the piece. Augmented reality takes users to an additional level of digital imagery full of fascinating information. To take the Belvedere in Vienna as an example, this new technology opens up a whole new dimension to the works of Egon Schiele with x-ray, infrared and macro images taken during the restoration of the works displayed on the screen. This delivers detailed insights into the processes behind the pieces, and provides an unprecedented perspective on art. It is no accident that Artivive launched its shake-up of the global museum scene from Vienna.

Vienna is the perfect base

“Vienna is the obvious choice for an art tech start-up,” explained Artivive found Codin Popescu. “And not just because the city is one of the top hubs for start-ups. Given Vienna's incredibly rich cultural history it was a logical decision for us to set up Artivive in the Austrian capital.” After all, the city's streets are lined with one museum after the next. Art and culture are deeply ingrained in the capital’s DNA. "Vienna is home to so many world-famous galleries and cultural institutions that we really are spoiled for choice when it comes to art." Vienna provided the ideal springboard for Artivive's subsequent rollout onto the global stage.

From Boston to Shanghai

Internationally-acclaimed Viennese museums and galleries such as the Albertina, Belvedere and MAK were among the first institutions to put their faith in Artivive's innovative digital technology. And over the course of the past few years, Artivive has conquered the international market. Popescu: "We have also worked with establishments including the Shanghai Himalayas Museum, the Ying Art Center in Shanghai, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, the Ilmin Museum of Art in Seoul and the Leica Gallery in Singapore." But what is it about this home-grown technology that strikes such a chord with galleries? "Our platform gives museums and galleries a reliable, quick and scalable piece of infrastructure that allows them to provide their patrons with an immersive experience, which in turn helps to increase the amount of time visitors spend there and deepens the emotional connection to the art on show," Popescu noted. 

Unlimited opportunities for creatives

But it's not just galleries and art lovers that stand to benefit from this latest piece of Viennese technology. The Artivive app is also triggering a wave of creativity among artists, as Popescu explains: "While we provide the digital tool and a platform to help bring these creations to life, the real creativity is coming out of our community. It’s the digital artists who decide whether they want to generate 3D elements, integrate animations, incorporate audio clips or any other elements in their immersive digital experience." In short, the Artivive app offers no end of opportunities to present analog works of art digitally and in an exciting new context.

A marketplace for digital art

And now Artivive is adding yet another layer. The art tech start-up is currently developing a marketplace for digital art and creative services. Digital solutions are more in demand than ever before in the culture sector. The marketplace gives art lovers access to over 150,000 augmented reality artworks by more than 100,000 creatives. Artists can also use the platform to offer creative digital services, paving the way for partnerships with companies and art fans looking to explore the world of digital creativity. The marketplace is scheduled to go live in the third quarter of 2021.

Learn more about Artivive:
artivive.com