MAIKRO is an artist of MIGA who has decided to present their work through the gallery going forward. They have also been active as an artist in the past. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, they participated actively in exhibitions, primarily as a painter and occasionally creating installations. In addition, they experimented with fashion design, focusing mainly on alternative and recycled-material clothing.

At that time, gallery networks were largely centered on representing and selling mainstream artists, so MAIKRO—who exhibited under a different name back then—continued working as a stage and interior designer. Over the years, they have pursued various creative fields, and since the beginning of 2023, they have once again decided to return to the field of visual arts.

According to the artist, today’s gallery landscape is much more diverse, allowing creators of different backgrounds to present their work to the public. MAIKRO employs a range of technological tools to create new works—computer, camera, image-editing software, and artificial intelligence. Their earlier works also serve as source material, digitally reworked using the possibilities offered by contemporary technology.  

In some of MAIKRO’s pieces, traces of AI-generated quirks are intentionally left visible by the artist, reflecting both the possibilities and the skills of the medium, which are likely to evolve over time. In this way, the artworks carry a time stamp.

MAIKRO considers images created in collaboration with artificial intelligence to be their own work. The artist inputs source material, interacts with the AI, processes visuals, blends different images together, and ultimately decides when the work is complete. The artist assembles the exhibition, chooses the specific presentation of the works, and presents them to the public. When taking a photograph, we don’t credit the camera made by a prestigious company as the author of the image; the author is the person who presses the shutter at the right moment, choosing what the lens captures. Similarly, when using Photoshop, the program is not the creator—the author is the one pressing the buttons. In MAIKRO’s view, the same applies to AI: the author of the work is the person who guides the process and creates a cohesive, creative whole.

MAIKRO’s work is driven by the desire to offer the public meaningful experiences through art. One of the artist’s dreams is to reach a stage where creative practice alone can sustain a life, without the need for other projects or activities to make ends meet. While the current exhibition efforts have required more investment than they have returned, the support of MIGA makes this pursuit possible. In the future, we will share glimpses on our blog of MAIKRO’s journey—how the artist navigates the path toward fully sustaining their practice through art alone.

Support MIGA one artwork at a time! MAIKRO's art contributes with €15–25, and each postcard or sticker with €1. Thanks for being part of our journey!

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EXHIBITION CHRONOLOGY

2025

"One Road Leads to Another" Samovar House
"If You Don't Get It, It's Art; If You Do, It's a Poster" Tartu Centre for Creative Industries


2024
"Urban Gardens" Estonian Museum of Natural History
"Fashion Week" HAKI gallery


2023

"Linnaloomad" studio shop Karud ja Pojad

"Paradise Garden" Voronja gallery saunahouse

"Urban Gardens" Plantarium exhibition house