Image Syncers

Description:

Image Syncers was a solo exhibition by artist-in-residence Nina Davies. The exhibition responded to contemporary TikTok trends in which people mimic artificially-generated videos, with Davies reimagining this choreographic phenomenon as a tool to disrupt visual economies and open up alternative modes of meaning-making.

At the centre of the exhibition was a twelve-minute video framed as an episode of the fictional podcast “What’s Sizzlin’.” In it, host Bryce Snyder interviews journalist Teagan Carroll about her exposé on a break-in at the Trutch Seed Bank. Carroll reveals that the group responsible, known as the Plot Corps, physically reproduced AI-generated imagery to evade detection. Their discussion expands into broader reflections on “perception-collapse,” “image syncing,” and the evolving relationships between language, images, and bodies, in a world shaped by synthetic media.

The video was accompanied by sculptural works that expanded the narrative world. A series of holographic forms appeared as spectral stand-ins for the fictional Image Syncers, while transparent, vitrine-like backpacks displayed their personal belongings. These included iPhones displaying images and video footage of performances evoking AI-generated scenes created entirely through analogue means—costumes, props, makeup, and lighting—as well as sculptured “cursed hands” used by the characters to interface with generated worlds or manipulate real-world events.

On January 16, 17, 23, and 24, the exhibition was activated by a series of performances in the Grand Luxe Hall titled Contacting Image Worlds. Structured as a fictional gathering of Image Syncers, four dancers enacted AI-inspired gestures using analogue techniques to show how generated footage can be simulated by the body, blurring the line between human and synthetic movement.

The exhibition was accompanied by an essay by Ruby Justice Thelot, who joined Davies in conversation at the opening reception of Image Syncers. 

Image Syncers featured performers Dave Biddle, Torien Cafferata, Lisa Christiansen, Sula Castle, Livona Ellis, Jose Funnell,  Gracy Gandhi, Kevyn Hu, Alger Liang, Alicia Laing, Sihan Ling, Christina Lovey, Nathaniel Marchand, Rebecca Margolick, Manuel Muñoz, Andy Newman, Duane Nasis, Richard Pye, Simon Roberts, Niloufar Samadi, Gian Singh Sanghera-Warren, Noah Sawchuck, David Varhegyi, Christoph Von Riedemann, Scott Young. The project featured videography by Reverse Magic, photography by Dan Jackson, music by FHUR, make-up by Kendahl Labrah Jung, and costumes and props by Kitty Blandy.

Image Syncers was commissioned by Western Front, with support from the Canada Council for the Arts.

Documents:

• Nina Davies: Image Syncers exhibition brochure (2026). Essay by Ruby Justice Thelot.