Smartify, a London-based company, just launched what may be the Shazam of artwork. Smartify is a free app available for both Android and iOS with which users can scan art pieces and be served identifying information and analysis/thought-starters about each. It works on paintings and 3-D objects like sculptures, and it’s powered by augmented reality and image-recognition technologies.
Smartify is currently available for use in 30 museums including the MET in New York City and the Paul J. Getty in L.A. In London, users can use it for public works, as well. As an added feature, users can also use it to create personal galleries (like Spotify playlists) so that they can return to their favorite artwork offline.
I think it’s a brilliant idea, though some of the user comments say it’s not fully functional. But it’s free and I bet it will improve over time.