Artist uses AI to ‘resurrect’ stars like Diana, John Lennon and Kurt Cobain who left us too soon

A photographer used artificial intelligence to bring stars who left us too soon back to life – shooting eerie portraits of Princess Diana, Kurt Cobain, John Lennon, Janis Joplin, Freddie Mercury and others.

The haunting and realistic images are the work of Alper Yesiltas, a photographer from Turkey, who created the portraits for a project entitled ‘As If Nothing Happened’.

He used artificial intelligence photo enhancement software and photo editing programs to create the photos.

“With the development of AI technology, I’ve been excited for a while, thinking that ‘everything imaginable can be shown in reality,'” Yesiltas wrote of the project.

“With the development of AI technology, I’ve been excited for a while, thinking that ‘everything imaginable can be shown in reality,'” Yesiltas wrote of the project. Rocker Kurt Cobain was found dead in his Seattle home on April 5, 1994 after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head at the age of 27.

“When I started tinkering with technology, I saw what I could do and thought about what would make me happiest. I wanted to see some of the people I missed right in front of me and that’s how this project was born.’ Beatles singer John Lennon was shot and killed outside the Dakota in New York City on December 8, 1980, at age 40.

Queen singer Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991 at his London home at the age of 45 from pneumonia caused by AIDS.

“When I started tinkering with technology, I saw what I could do and thought about what would make me happiest. I wanted to see some of the people I missed right in front of me and that’s how this project was born.’

The artist continued“The hardest part of the creative process for me is making the image feel ‘real’ to me. The moment I like the most is when I think the image in front of me looks very realistic as if it were taken by a photographer.”

Each of the celebrities in the project died at a young age – often in tragic circumstances.

Princess Diana died in Paris at the age of 36 after the Mercedes-Benz she was in crashed while being chased by paparazzi in the early hours of August 31, 1997.

Rocker Kurt Cobain was found dead in his Seattle home on April 5, 1994 after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head at the age of 27.

Beatles singer John Lennon was shot and killed outside in New York City on December 8, 1980, at the age of 40.

Queen singer Freddie Mercury died on November 24, 1991 at his London home at the age of 45 from pneumonia caused by AIDS.

Rapper Tupak Shakur died of gunshot wounds at age 25 in Las Vegas on September 13, 1996.

Actor Heath Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose on January 22, 2008 at the age of 28.

Musician Jimi Hendrix died of a drug overdose on September 18, 1970 at the age of 27.

Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose on October 4, 1970, at the age of 27.

‘Behind this project lies the question ‘how would people look photo-realistic if they hadn’t experienced amazing events’, explains Yesiltas.

The artist continued, “The hardest part of the creative process for me is making the image feel ‘real’ to me.” Janis Joplin died of a heroin overdose on October 4, 1970 at the age of 27

“The moment I like the most is when I think the image in front of me looks very realistic as if it was taken by a photographer,” said the artist. Musician Jimi Hendrix died of a drug overdose on September 18, 1970 at the age of 27

‘Behind this project lies the question ‘how would people look photo-realistic if they hadn’t experienced amazing events’, explains Yesiltas. Actor Heath Ledger died of an accidental drug overdose on January 22, 2008 at the age of 28

Rapper Tupak Shakur died of gunshot wounds at age 25 in Las Vegas on September 13, 1996