Nostalgia Gone Viral: Meet Niklas Engvall, AI Artist Travelling Through Time

by Alexandra Mansilla

Nostalgia Gone Viral: Meet Niklas Engvall, AI Artist Travelling Through Time

4 Jul 2025

One day, we came across vintage photos of car races with the pyramids in the background — and honestly, we were hooked. We couldn’t stop scrolling, so of course we had to check out the account behind them: Engvall Arts.

As soon as we landed on his page, we fell into a nostalgia rabbit hole. Different eras, different countries — and it is all made using AI by Niklas Engvall, an artist from Sweden. As he puts it himself: “Travelling through time with AI.”

How did it get started? Why did he decide to play around with nostalgia? What does AI still struggle with? And where is the project headed next?

— Niklas, honestly, before our call, I had a moment where I wondered — what if he is actually AI? I am glad you are real. I hope so. I’d love to hear more about your background — how you got started?

— Haha, yes, I am real! I am from Sweden — I grew up just outside Malmö, in the south.

When I was in high school, I started working for a company involved in esports and competitive gaming. That is actually where I first got into film and photography. I was creating a lot of content, mainly video and photo work.

During that time, I also started a little side business with a friend, working on video projects. We made small-scale commercials, did some real estate videos, really just anything people needed.

That is basically my background when it comes to visuals — mainly film, photo, and content creation.

But I have always been into culture in general. For me, it was always about music — music has always been a huge part of my life. I just loved listening to it and tried to be around it as much as possible. I am obsessed with music quizzes — I always win them!

— And a few years ago, you decided to start your Instagram account. Why did you choose nostalgia as your main theme?

— It happened in 2022, when I was working with this esports organisation. I started using some of the AI tools, but honestly, the images back then were pretty bad. Still, it was cool to experiment; I remember thinking, “Wow, what else is possible here?” Even though the results weren’t great, I was spending a ton of time on it, just exploring and learning.

I think the reason it all became so nostalgic and “vintage” is pretty simple — I just find that whole vibe interesting. I have always liked the look of the ‘60s and similar eras.

Actually, it all started on TikTok. I began making these AI photos set in 1960s Sweden — vintage Sweden. People on TikTok loved it because Sweden is a great example of a country that has changed massively since the ‘60s. When Swedes saw these images, they were like, “Oh wow, that’s how it was!” The posts got really popular, so I started making even more.

— But you also create nostalgic photos about other countries. How do you know it is really going to resonate with people’s sense of nostalgia? And how do you make sure the images feel authentic?

— The thing is… I can’t be sure. I don’t pretend that they are real. When I say “POV: you wake up in the ‘60s” or something like that, it is not me saying this is what it actually was. It is still AI, and a lot of it is pretty stereotypical. Like, if I make an AI post about Paris, the Eiffel Tower always shows up — even though you obviously don’t see it everywhere in Paris. That is just how AI works; it leans into clichés and stereotypes. It is never going to be 100% accurate, and I think most people understand that. Most of the feedback has been positive.

— By the way, speaking of feedback — I remember seeing one under your photo, someone pointed out a woman with six fingers. How did you react when that first started happening?

— At first, I was kind of embarrassed — I thought, “I should’ve noticed that and taken it out”. But then I realised those little mistakes actually drew people in. For example, you noticed it and left a comment, right? So when there are errors in the images, people pick up on them and start discussions, like, “Oh, this is AI.” It turns into something people want to talk about.

Sometimes I even leave those mistakes in on purpose, just to boost engagement, because I know people will comment on them. Or I will post images that I know will spark a debate or some kind of discussion, even if I am not taking a side myself. A lot of times, it turns into a political debate in the comments, even though that is never really my goal.

— Since your page is all about nostalgia, I am curious — what about you? What is your nostalgia?

— I was born in 2001, so for me, nostalgia is really tied to technology — I spent so much time on the computer growing up. Most of my own nostalgia is about computers, phones, and, of course, gaming.

Counter-Strike was a big one for me — I played a lot of that back in the day. Minecraft was also a huge part of my childhood. But at the same time, it is not just about the games. It is the whole vibe of sitting at the screen, the slow internet, and how we used to talk to each other. Sometimes we would use the home phone to call friends and say, “Hey, come play this game!” That is definitely a part of it, too.

And then, like any kid, there is just the classic stuff — growing up in a small town, being outside, playing football with friends. All of that mixes together for me when I think about nostalgia.

— Do you remember the very first photo or image that went viral? And do you have any thoughts on why that one resonated so much?

— I think the most popular and probably the most viral post I have had was the 2000s Monaco one. It just hit all the right notes: the images themselves looked great, the Monaco Grand Prix is iconic — everyone wishes they could be there — and then you add that early 2000s vibe. A huge part of my Instagram audience is nostalgic for that era, especially people born in the ‘80s or ‘90s, since they were teenagers back then. Plus, I used “Cheri Cheri Lady” as the soundtrack, which fit the mood perfectly. So it was just the right mix of visuals, music, and fashion.

Another one that really took off was a 1970s Tehran post I did a couple of years ago — it got something like 17 million views. I think the main reason it went viral was because the topic is so controversial. Iran was such a different place before the late ’70s, and the comments section basically turned into a huge political debate about whether things were better back then or not.

— I have noticed there are a lot of cars in your images — are you really into cars?

— No, not really — I don’t even have a driver’s license!

I am just interested in all kinds of images. And I think that is why so many people connect with my posts — one post might have something for everyone. If you are into real estate, there is a cool house; if you like cars, there is a nice car; if you are into fashion, there are great outfits; if you love history, the scene captures a different era; and if you are just into people, you will see beautiful women or handsome men. It is all in there, so the appeal is really broad. It is not niche at all — it is just a mix of everything.

And then there is the luxury aspect, which is a big part of it. Most of the images have that high-end vibe. Right now, those luxury-themed accounts are really trendy on Instagram, and I think a lot of people just like to imagine themselves in those scenes.

— Oh yeah, people definitely love looking at beautiful (and sometimes totally unattainable) things. My next question is: what do you think AI still does badly?

— I think it really comes down to human taste and a sense of aesthetics — AI just doesn’t have that yet. Maybe it will in the future, who knows, but right now, I don’t think AI could do what I do. The curation is different. You have to live in the present and stay on top of Instagram trends to know what works before you post anything. That is where human taste comes in.

Maybe AI will get there eventually, but right now, it just can’t create anything truly interesting on its own. It still needs that human touch.

— I suppose you are also involved in a lot of projects apart from Engvall Arts, right? What do you do?

— Engvall.arts, the Instagram page, is mainly for my vintage AI stuff. But honestly, there are thousands of other images I make that aren’t about nostalgia at all. I just haven’t made a page for that kind of work yet. Some of it is contemporary fashion shoots, some of it is other styles — really a bit of everything.

I also do a lot of work with brands that want unique content. They see my work and reach out because they think their brand would look cool in this style, so I do commission-based artwork and content for them. That actually takes up most of my time these days. One of the selling points is that with AI, you can showcase a brand in any era or location, like if Ralph Lauren really wanted a campaign that looked authentically ‘80s, AI can make that happen in a way that’d be pretty much impossible otherwise.

— Are there any projects you are involved in that you would like to talk about? Or maybe you could share how you see your Instagram page or your work evolving — do you think you will stick with the nostalgic thing, or is there something new you want to try?

— So on the Engvall Arts page, I am planning to stick with the nostalgic, luxury vibe — it is definitely going to keep going in that direction. The big thing that is changing soon, though, is video. I think video is about to become the main focus. Right now, it is just not quite at the level where you can “fool” people the way you can with images, but it is getting there. So, expect to see a lot more video content soon.

Another big project I am working on is helping people learn how to do this themselves. I never wanted to be “that guy” selling a course — I actually hate that stuff — but honestly, I get so many DMs asking, “How do you do this? I want to try!” So I think it just makes sense, not only to help people but also as a business move, to set up some kind of academy or group. Maybe not a traditional course, but more like a closed group of 25 people where I can really guide them through the process and show them what I do.

There are so many settings and options — you just have to spend time with it and really get to know how it works. There is a learning curve, for sure, but that is only part of it. You also need to know what you are trying to achieve, and you need a vision.

I think that is the next step for me. We will see where it goes.

by Alexandra Mansilla