The Lure of the Image

How do images bait or beguile us as they circulate online? How do they compel, capture, or control us? The fourteen artists presented in this exhibition engage with visual phenomena that serve as vehicles for online communication, criticism, and humor. They highlight the crucial role images play in shaping our social, cultural, and political landscapes. The _Lure of the Image_ invites visitors to explore the visual worlds of social media feeds, dating app profiles, beauty filters, memes, ASMR videos, “cute” and “cursed” images, emojis, computer-generated imagery, and pixelated screenshots used for conspiracy or protest. The artworks track the complex mechanisms of the lure in digital space, shedding light on how images and their underlying structures—from algorithms to datasets—direct our attention, provoke emotions, and influence opinions, often leading us astray or sending us in the wrong direction. Through juxtapositions of various media strategies—from archives to installations and collage-based works—and spatial staging that oscillates between overpowering and reflection, the artists reveal the contradictions of digital imagery.