Estonian painters explore AI in art with new Stockholm show
A group of Estonian painters is opening a new show in Stockholm this Saturday exploring how artificial intelligence is changing visual art.
Featuring Vano Allsalu, Gerda Hansen, Siiri Jüris, Carl-Robert Kagge and Mart Vainre, "Errare humanum est: Painting in the age of artificial intelligence" opens May 16 at Stockholm's Galleri Duerr, taking a closer look at how painting is adapting to an increasingly AI-shaped visual world.
Rather than treating AI as a threat, the artists approach it as an inevitable part of modern reality, and thus part of today's creative toolkit — not using it to produce "perfect" images but rather as a collaborator that can generate unexpected outcomes beyond human scope.
The works mix painting with digital imagery, 3D modeling, data analysis and machine-generated visuals.
The title of the show refers to the idea that to err is human — and in this case, it can be creative. The artists also embraced glitches and AI "mistakes" as part of the creative process.
Estonia's digitally innovative identity, shaped by programs like Tiger Leap and a strong tech sector, forms part of the backdrop. But organizers say cultural debate around AI has lagged behind technology's rapid rise.
"The project began in 2022, when ChatGPT was still in its early stages," said curator Stella Mõttus.
"A couple of years ago, we could still talk about boycotting AI-generated images, but now a museum dedicated entirely to AI-generated images is opening in Los Angeles this June," she added.
"Errare humanum est" runs through June 27.
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Editor: Karmen Rebane, Aili Vahtla
