Denim Dreams and Digital Deception: Nick Doyle Takes on the American Myth in ‘Collective Hallucinations’

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Summary

  • Perrotin New York presents Collective Hallucinations through May 30, 2026, featuring Nick Doyle’s large-scale denim collages
  • The exhibition critiques Americana and the “American Dream” through symbols like aviators and AI-powered data mining

Perrotin New York is featuring “Collective Hallucinations,” a new solo exhibition by artist Nick Doyle from Brooklyn. The show combines striking denim collages with an engaging AI installation, exploring themes of American identity, our connection to the land, and the impact of technology and consumerism.

California-born artist Doyle is known for his unique wall sculptures made from collaged denim. He uses this material to explore the complicated history of American culture, consumerism, and traditional ideas about masculinity. This exhibition presents a new take on the “American Dream,” portraying it not as a guarantee of success, but as a widespread fantasy. Doyle moves away from images of classic Western road trips and instead focuses on the new, uncertain territories of the digital world.

The exhibition showcases oversized denim sculptures representing familiar Western symbols like pilots, car keys, and cacti, along with unique takes on Ansel Adams’ iconic mountain photos. While Adams’ images captured a hopeful spirit, Doyle’s versions feel clouded – one is blocked by a fence, the other by brick – suggesting disappointment with how the land is now treated as a commodity. Other key works, like “Borderland” (2026) and “Articles of Faith” (2026), use indigo-dyed cotton to allude to the history of international trade and colonial production.

In a surprising new direction for his work, Doyle’s installation, “Mirror, Mirror,” features his first use of artificial intelligence. The piece looks like a rundown building advertising psychic readings, but inside, visitors meet Ava, an AI character described as a sassy celebrity. Ava playfully interacts with people, but her main purpose is to collect personal information – highlighting a troubling connection between how AI gathers data and the way old myths used flattery to gain trust. By combining traditional craftsmanship with digital technology, Doyle implies that even though the methods have changed, the tactic of telling people what they want to hear hasn’t.

Nick Doyle’s Collective Hallucinations will run at Perrotin’s New York location until May 30, 2026.

Perrotin New York130 Orchard St, New York,
NY 10002, United States

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2026-05-07 11:56