AI revives Bishkek's lost murals

A video circulating on social media showcases Bishkek's murals brought back to life through artificial intelligence. The creator of the video expressed regret that some of the depicted murals have since disappeared.

This digital revival highlights the ephemeral nature of public art. In Bishkek, several murals have been painted over or removed. One notable example was a mural honoring actors Suimenkul Chokmorov and Tatybubu Tursunbaeva, featured in Tolomush Okeev’s film "The Red Apple," which was painted over at the intersection of Chui Avenue and Panfilov Street. While a new mural dedicated to the same film is planned for the location, the original artwork is gone.

Further murals vanished during renovations. Along Chingiz Aitmatov Avenue, another mural on a residential building was painted over as part of a citywide program to update building facades. Additionally, at 134, Chui Avenue, a colorful mural disappeared during renovation work. The Bishkek City Hall explained these actions were part of preparations for SCO events, citing the unsatisfactory condition of the building facades and the murals themselves.

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I brought Bishkek’s murals back to life. It’s a pity that some of them are already gone.