Nathan Gray: Work With Me Here
03.09.2015 – 02.10.2015

Nathan Gray: Work With Me Here was a new project that extended the Works<30s series – a body of short videos lasting less than thirty seconds by artist-musician-performer Nathan Gray. The project presented the complete collection of films in the Works<30s series for the first time in one space, whilst transforming Design Hub Gallery Project Room 1 into an open studio where new works in the series were generated collaboratively, on site and in public. Designed by Melbourne-based studio SIBLING, the space comprised a collection of ‘zones’ where visitors could drop-in, participate, watch a performance, observe works-in-progress or hang out.

The title Work With Me Here was an invitation to rediscover the social body around making. The project aimed to change the studio from an isolated workplace and make it over as a space for other spaces and other inhabitants. Proposing conversation as its method, the project put the following question to practitioners from various communities as a starting point for new works: “What is possible in less than 30 seconds?”

During the exhibition Gray was in residence, working and administering an intense program of public, talk-show-style conversations, actions, lectures and performances, as well as a special program of events curated in collaboration with sonic art organisation Liquid Architecture. In addition to working with practitioners from experimental music, dance, contemporary art and performance, Work With Me Here engaged with students and RMIT researchers from many other disciplines including interior design, industrial design, architecture and games.

Nathan Gray: Work With Me Here incorporated 'smile and nod: affective listening', a program curated by Liquid Architecture and presented as part of LA2015.

Design Hub Curators: Fleur Watson, Kate Rhodes, Nella Themelios
Exhibition and Graphic Design: SIBLING

Nathan Gray: Work With Me Here installation view, images courtesy of Tobias Titz