Who is he
Georgi Dinchev is a digital entrepreneur, Manager of the “INDIT” Foundation and creator of the virtual gallery Skener, which promotes Bulgarian art through modern technologies. In the spring of 2025, his team will present a project that will “revive” the famous painting “Handkerchief” (c. 1894) by Ivan Mrkvichka with artificial intelligence — with subtle movement of the characters and a sound environment tailored to the era. The first wide media presentation will be on April 5, 2025 on NOVA. (nova.bg)
How “revival” was done
According to Dinchev and reported in the national media, the process includes multiple iterations (over 15–25 attempts), consultations with ethnographers about the rhythm and dance (identified as a northern horo in 7/8), and a conscious choice of the sound background — speech and noises instead of music, since there is no musician in the original scene. Thus, the AI reconstructed the “atmosphere” of the Bistritsa pub without adding non-existent elements. (nova.bg, Telegraph.bg)
Significance for Bulgarian culture
The project puts Bulgarian classical paintings in dialogue with new media, making them more accessible to the young audience. According to Bulgaria ON AIR, “Handle” is the first in the series of iconic Bulgarian paintings brought to life with artificial intelligence within the framework of the Skener Gallery initiative. (Bgonair)
Public and media response
The topic received a quick response in the national media, which highlighted both the innovative approach and the attention to historical accuracy. NOVA talks about the methodology and motivation of the team; Bulgaria ON AIR invites Dinchev to the studio for a discussion on the boundaries between art and algorithms; BNT in “100% Budni” emphasizes the meeting of the brush and algorithm as a new cultural phenomenon. (nova.bg, Bgonair, BNT)
Media appearances by Georgi Dinchev (links)
- Bulgaria ON AIR – “Bulgaria Morning” (April 18, 2025): studio interview about the mission of the Skener Gallery, the process and why the first animated painting is “Handle”. “Watch the entire conversation in the video” is available on the media website. (Bgonair)
- BNT1 – “100% awake” (May 12, 2025): TV interview “How Bulgarianmasterpieces come to life through artificial intelligence? “, presenting the approach and goals of the project. (BNT)
Selected national coverage
- NOVA (News / “Wake up”) – April 5, 2025: first wide coverage, detailed description of the method (iterations, consultations, selection of sound background). (nova.bg)
- “Telegraph” (interview/report): more context on the number of attempts and the goal to reach young people. (Telegraph.bg)
Why this is important
The “revival” of “Rachenitsa” shows how cultural heritage can be experienced anew — not as a replacement for the original, but as a mediation between history and modernity. The precise work with experts and the careful limitation of AI to reconstruction of the probable, rather than to a fanciful interpretation, makes the project an example of responsible use of artificial intelligence in art. (nova.bg)
Note: On national media, Georgi Dinchev is a guest on the air of Bulgaria ON AIR and BNT1; NOVA presents the project in news and morning formats. The links above lead directly to their official pages. (Bgonair, BNT, nova.bg)
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