The Department of Art and Art History at the University of Miami's College of Arts & Sciences presents the Bachelor of Arts Departmental Honors Thesis Exhibition featuring graduating senior Hannah Kuker.
 
Join us for a reception celebrating the artist on Thursday, February 20, 2025, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Rainbow Gallery on campus.

How do we define art in the age of AI? Hannah Kuker seeks to explore this question in her exhibition, The Consciousness of Art—Creativity, Conversation, and Connection. Kuker's show is a culmination of her research both in art and intellectual property law. Amid the rising prevalence of AI, Kuker has been exploring the capacity and personhood of the human artist. Specifically, she believes conversation and connection between artist and viewer will drive art more so than visual elements in a time period where technology can effortlessly generate visually compelling images. Drawing parallels with the rise of photography, Kuker chronicles how new technology left undisturbed paradoxically invigorates traditional art forms by challenging them to adapt and evolve.

Her work examines the theory that the “consciousness” of human-made art—that is, its ability to invoke the identity of its creator and art history—will distinguish it from AI-generated art and allow it to flourish concurrently. She believes leaning into the transcendental and unifying nature of art will allow human-made art to retain its distinctiveness and cultural impact. This exhibition is as much a display of storytelling as it is a spectacle of artwork, illuminating the power of human creativity and conversation in forging connections.

ABOUT THE ARTIST 

Hannah Kuker is a senior from Hollywood, Florida earning her dual degree at the University of Miami with a BBA in Finance & Legal Studies and BA in Studio Art with a minor in Art History. Hannah is a socially engaged artist, often using her craft as a platform to engage her community in conversations about how to achieve a more empathetic coexistence. During her four years in the Studio Art program, Hannah has experimented with symbolism in her drawings and paintings in her effort to determine what visuals and metaphors are understood universally such that they resonate with audiences with a variety of backgrounds.

The Consciousness of Art—Creativity, Conversation, and Connection will be on display through February 25, 2025, at the University of Miami Rainbow Gallery, located at 1540 Levante Avenue, Coral Gables, FL 33146. The gallery hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. For the full exhibition schedule, visit www.as.miami.edu/art. Appointments and private tours are available. For more information, please contact Milly Cardoso, Gallery Manager, at m.cardoso1@miami.edu. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram: @umartgalleries.