Exhibit Reclaims Space for Human Artists

As artificial intelligence floods the creative world with machine-made images, Cedarville University’s “Painters and Paintings” art exhibit invites viewers to rediscover the human hand — and heart — behind every brushstroke.

Student Paintings Tell the Story Behind the Image

Open through January 14, 2026, in the university’s 220 Gallery, “Painters and Paintings” features physical and digital paintings created by Cedarville art students. The exhibit encourages viewers to wrestle with the role of manmade art in a society flooded with AI-generated images — to find the painter behind the painting. Each work of art is accompanied by a photo of the student artist as well as each student’s reflection on painting in the modern world.

Faculty Spark Dialogue on AI and Art

The idea for the exhibit came from Aaron Gosser, associate professor of studio art, after noticing Cedarville’s use of AI-generated imagery in polished, public-facing graphics. As Gosser wrestled with the use of machine-generated art in places where handmade work had traditionally been used, he felt compelled to bring that conversation to campus.

Experience Art Beyond the Digital Screen

For the university community, the exhibit offers a chance to encounter physical, embodied works of art with a human touch rather than just images on a screen, where all visuals can appear equally valid.

“Each painting in the exhibit was made by a real person. There’s someone behind each project who’s been grappling with how to move pigment around a flat surface — and that process means something to them,” said Gosser. “Their very fingerprints are in it. Until you get to stand in front of a work of art, image is just image; it doesn’t matter to most people where it’s coming from.”

Exploring Creativity in the Age of AI

While AI may raise concerns for some artists, Gosser noted that technology has regularly shaped painting throughout history — from the invention of the camera to innovation of tubed paint.

“AI represents a continuation of change in the art world. We’re already so shaped by technology that we don’t even perceive it,” said Gosser. “AI isn’t necessarily new territory. It’s going to change things, but painting itself doesn’t go away.”

Gosser believes that launching a painting exhibit during a watershed moment of technological change creates a valuable opportunity for campus dialogue on the intersection of human creativity and artificial intelligence. “Art must be of its time, and for us, that’s artificial intelligence,” said Gosser. “It’s vital that our art interrogates it, questions it, and even critiques it.”

But for Gosser, the most significant works of art are those with the story of the painter behind them — their struggles and successes on the way to crafting something meaningful.

“Even the works of art I hang around my house have stories behind them,” said Gosser. “That’s the thing that we, as viewers, connect with.” It’s this human story, not the finished image, that Gosser believes can reshape how viewers think about creativity in an AI-driven world.

About Cedarville University

Cedarville University, an evangelical Christian institution in southwest Ohio, offers undergraduate and graduate residential and online programs across arts, sciences and professional fields. With 7,265 students, it is among Ohio's largest private universities and is ranked among the nation’s top five evangelical universities in the Wall Street Journal’s 2026 Best Colleges in the U.S. Cedarville is also known for its vibrant Christian community, challenging academics and high graduation and retention rates. Learn more at cedarville.edu.