I n an exciting partnership that brings artworks to life in a unique way, Sotheby’s is collaborating with Swiss startup ARTMYN to apply their pioneering scanning and display technology to highlights of our spring and summer 2017 auctions. Through the development of a new generation of scanners and algorithms, ARTMYN can create unique, interactive, 5D images that provide an unprecedented visual experience by bringing to life the artwork’s texture and composition. Select works from upcoming sales in New York and London will be scanned using ARTMYN’s technology and the multi-dimensional images will be available through Sotheby’s website and apps.
The ARTMYN scanner is custom-built and portable. Highlights from the upcoming auctions will be scanned on-site at Sotheby’s locations in New York and London. During the scanning of a work of art, ARTMYN captures gigabytes of data using different light sources. That data, which consists of thousands of photographs, is then processed using sophisticated algorithms. The final result can be experienced from any mobile device, including smart phones and tablets.
In addition to the Google-Focused Research Award, ARTMYN was recently honored with a feasibility grant from the Commission for Technology and Innovation - the investment branch of the Swiss government that supports innovative projects with strong R&D focuses. The company also won the prestigious IMD Business School Startup Competition, an award that led to a significant investment from Silicon Valley.
"We are absolutely thrilled to collaborate with an institution as prestigious and innovative as Sotheby's,” said ARTMYN Co-founder and CEO Alexandre Catsicas. “Collectors from all around the world will now be able to explore treasures as if the originals were in their very own hands."
