350 Years of Medellín: Reconstructing Collective Memory with AI

In November, Medellín celebrated 350 years of history through a series of events designed to connect the city’s memory with its present and future. As part of this commemoration, an AI-powered audiovisual project was developed to visually narrate Medellín’s evolution over time.

The project was presented across multiple official events. The scripts were written by Juan Mosquera Restrepo, and production was led by Treinta y Seis, integrating artificial intelligence tools within a carefully controlled creative and post-production workflow.

Through the use of artificial intelligence, it was possible to recreate key moments in Medellín’s history, from its origins and early urban transformations to the social and cultural milestones that shaped its identity. These visuals engage in a dialogue with the contemporary city and the current public works promoted by the local government, creating a continuous narrative between past and present.

One of the most meaningful moments within the project is an AI-generated photographic montage, built from references to multiple artists from the city, representing different genres and cultural backgrounds. In this sequence, images of people who are no longer with us are integrated with those who are still alive today.

At times, these figures appear embracing one another, sharing the same audiovisual space, creating an impossible yet symbolic encounter where different generations coexist. Together, they form a single collective celebration of Medellín’s 350th anniversary.

Rather than functioning as an automated solution, AI was used as a creative tool in service of the script and the narrative. It enabled the exploration of visual styles, atmospheres, and time periods that would be difficult to achieve through traditional methods, while maintaining artistic control and visual coherence.

One of the main challenges was balancing the institutional nature of the celebration with an emotionally resonant audiovisual language. The pieces were designed not only to inform, but also to create a genuine connection with audiences by activating the city’s collective memory.

This project demonstrates how artificial intelligence applied to audiovisual storytelling can expand narrative possibilities for cultural and commemorative events, offering new ways to tell the story of a city that is alive, diverse, and constantly evolving.