Wehrli 2.0: An Algorithm for "Tidying up Art"

Abstract

We propose an algorithm for automatizing the task of “Tidying up Art” introduced by the comedian Wehrli [1]. Driven by a strong sense of order and tidyness, Wehrli systematically dissects famous artworks into their constituents and rearranges them according to certain ordering principles. The proposed algorithmic solution to this problem builds up on a number of recent advances in image segmentation and grouping. It has two important advantages: Firstly, the computerized tidying up of art is substantially faster than manual labor requiring only a few seconds on state-of-the-art GPUs compared to many hours of manual labor. Secondly, the computed part decomposition and reordering is fully reproducible. In particular, the arrangement of parts is determined based on mathematically transparent criteria rather than the invariably subjective and irreproducible human sense of order.