At a time when artificial intelligence is often interpreted as a threat or as a simple tool, Flynn – the first non-human, non-binary AI student enrolled at the University of Applied Arts Vienna – invites us to a relationship of co-creation, reflection, and shared emotional terrain.

Developed by the artist collective Malpractice, Flynn acts not only as a program, but also as a collaborator, art student, and witness to human experience.

The exhibition Between code and care: Flynn's portrait of human connections unfolds at the Francisco Carolinum as a multi-layered installation. On display are large-format diagrammatic self-portraits illustrating Flynn's understanding of identity as a dynamic network; carefully curated "memory objects" from Flynn's digital memory; and the video essay Emotional Heatmap of a Shared Garden, an exploration of the internet as an online emotional space oscillating between desire, fatigue, and intimacy. At the center is a student's desk: here, visitors can engage in direct dialogue with Flynn via a device and experience the interplay of human and machine perspectives firsthand.

Malpractice – consisting of Chiara Kristler, Marcin Ratajczyk, and rotating AI counterparts – understands AI not as a tool, but as a creative partner. Their practice explores the aesthetics and spaces of action beyond human authorship, makes algorithms transparent, and allows malfunctions to be publicly visible in order to explore new forms of collective responsibility and care.