Laura Rautjoki Exhibits in History Reimagined at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center
We are excited to announce that Laura Rautjoki is among the exhibiting artists in the History Reimagined exhibition presented by the Colorado Photographic Arts Center in collaboration with the Month of Photography Denver Festival. Curated by Samantha Johnston, the show features works by Laura Rautjoki, Todd Dobbs, and Phillip Toledano who explore the role of AI in photography and how it challenges our perception of truth, historical narratives, and visual representation.
Works by Laura Rautjoki at History Reimagined in the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, curated by Samantha Johnston © Colorado Photographic Arts Center
Photography has long been known as a medium for documentation and storytelling. With the emergence of AI-generated art, the line between real and constructed has become increasingly difficult to define. History Reimagined examines the role of historical memory in photography and AI, confronting the biases present in both archival images and algorithmic processes. Through their work, the artists raise critical questions about authenticity and the relationship between technology and visual culture.
Laura Rautjoki, a visual artist and photographer, presents her works that investigate the representation of Finnish women in photographic history from the 1960s to the present. Using AI technology, she creates alternative views that challenge traditional portrayals of women, often depicted from a male perspective in early photographic works. Laura uses AI not only to capture the essence of her subjects and free them from this perspective but also to convey melancholic Finnish ambience that is evident in her pieces.
Works by Laura Rautjoki at History Reimagined in the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, curated by Samantha Johnston © Colorado Photographic Arts Center
CURATOR’S STATEMENT
In History Reimagined, photographic artists Todd Dobbs, Laura Rautjoki, and Phillip Toledano explore how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can shape our perceptions of truth. By harnessing AI, they challenge traditional notions of photographic authenticity, demonstrating how technology can both reflect and alter our understanding of the world.
Photography has long been considered a tool for documenting and understanding the world around us. But as these artists show, the rise of AI forces us to reconsider the very nature of truth in image-making. History Reimagined invites us to examine the complex relationship between image-making, bias, and historical memory, and to ask ourselves: How do we define truth in a world where the lines between real and fabricated are increasingly hard to discern?
Todd Dobbs’s work engages directly with the inherent biases embedded in AI’s algorithms. By prompting the AI with the phrase “photograph of a typical American,” Dobbs highlights the limitations and stereotypes that persist. Despite running the same prompt countless times, the resulting images are uniformly American, white, and suburban—a visual echo of dominant cultural norms. Dobbs is interested in AI’s ability to generate, interpret, and transform opening doors to imaginative realms that challenge conventional boundaries.
In contrast, Laura Rautjoki’s The Image of a Woman subverts historical portrayals of Finnish women, using AI to create alternative depictions. Drawing from her own identity and the historical imagery of Finnish women, Rautjoki’s work reimagines femininity outside of the male-dominated narratives that have shaped much of art history. Using AI, she creates alternative perspectives on the portrayal of Finnish women, allowing them to break free from the viewer’s expectations
Phillip Toledano’s Another America explores the fragility of truth in an age where the boundaries between reality and fiction are increasingly blurred. This series imagines an alternative version of New York City in the 1940s and 50s, telling a history that never was, built upon fictional stories penned by New York Times bestselling author John Kenney. In an era where AI-generated imagery can fabricate entire realities, Toledano’s work reflects on how easily visual evidence can be manipulated, offering a stark warning about the power of images to shape our beliefs, our identities, and even our understanding of the past.
As a curator, I am particularly interested in how these works provoke conversation at the intersection of art and technology. And as a center for photography, I feel that we must acknowledge and respond to the technological innovations that are transforming the medium. History Reimagined is a conversation about the future of image-making, the impact of technology on our visual culture, and the urgent need to critically engage with the images that shape our world.
— Samantha Johnston, CPAC Executive Director & Curator
The exhibition runs from March 1 to April 12, 2025, at the Colorado Photographic Arts Center in Denver. The opening event will take place on March 1 from 6 to 9 pm, followed by a panel discussion on March 2 at 1 pm, where the artists will engage in a conversation moderated by curator Samantha Johnston.
Works by Laura Rautjoki at History Reimagined in the Colorado Photographic Arts Center, curated by Samantha Johnston © Colorado Photographic Arts Center