Currently surrounded on all sides by large excavated holes and construction sites, the Nicholas Building sits like a cherished temple amongst the hoardings, building debris, concrete, cranes and earth moving equipment. We all have to live in the here and now but inevitably we will also become just a fragment in the geological strata of history. Monuments and ruins have long fascinated us leading to questions around how to speak through our moment both to and from an imagined future. A Song for You, explores the flipside of this paradox: Is it possible to speak without leaving any trace at all? And if so, what is worth saying from beyond the pale?
DAMP is a Melbourne based artist collective established in 1995. The group make groundbreaking artworks that address the relationship between artist and audience. In 1999 the group staged a histrionic series of conflicts, which escalated into a brawl in the gallery window of Gertrude Contemporary. In 2009 the group constructed a monumental faux-marble plinth on which local collectives could meet as part of APT6 at the Queensland Art Gallery. The current members of DAMP are Narelle Desmond, Sharon Goodwin, Debra Kunda and James Lynch.