Join the Institute of Modern Art for the fourth instalment of its 2026 Essay Club series, featuring Nicholas Aloisio-Shearer. This session focuses on The Vulgar Image, an essay by Dean Kissick originally published in Spike Magazine’s Summer 2025 issue, which examines the rise of AI-generated imagery and questions whether contemporary culture is drifting towards a landscape of endless digital pastiche.
Nicholas Aloisio-Shearer will discuss the essay alongside insights from his work as Assistant Director at the IMA, as well as his practice as a curator and artist. Participants are invited to engage in an open conversation about contemporary art, criticism, technology, and cultural production.
Essay Club welcomes artists, students, arts workers and anyone interested in critical discussions around contemporary culture. Each gathering centres on a selected text chosen by members of Brisbane’s arts community, creating space for thoughtful discussion and the exchange of ideas.
