Perrotin gallery in New York presents 'Collective Hallcinations', an exhibition of new works by Brooklyn-based artist Nick Doyle. The show features wall-mounted denim collages and an immersive installation of a psychic parlor, including Doyle's first use of artificial intelligence. The works explore the fraught relationship between land and technology, progress and destruction, using denim as a material that evokes Americana, capitalism, and masculinity. The centerpiece, 'Mirror, Mirror', is a denim-clad structure housing an AI avatar named Ava, who offers sardonic commentary on the American dream and the digital frontier.
The exhibition matters because it marks a significant shift in Doyle's practice, introducing AI into his otherwise handcraft-focused work. By juxtaposing the mythic American West with contemporary digital speculation, Doyle critiques the enduring illusions of progress and opportunity. The show resonates with current debates about AI's role in art and society, while continuing his interrogation of national identity and environmental degradation. It offers a timely reflection on how technology and land have been intertwined in American history, from the Transcontinental Railroad to Silicon Valley.