Conversing with computers.

Cuba Street is fast becoming Art Gallery central. Small galleries are popping up everywhere and there’s something for everyone’s taste.

Nestled in the same building as the Peter McLeavy gallery, next to Jam Hairdressers, is the New Works Studio.

Currently there is a small multi-media display that will assault your audio senses as well as your visual ones.

The focus of the exhibition is a multimedia display and the interaction between two computers. Artists Sean Kerr and Terry Urban have programmed two computers to randomly spit out vocals recorded from internet chat rooms.

The computer-generated conversation is oddly annoying but intensely intriguing at the same time. Our human sense of curiosity makes sure we stand and listen - at least for a little while. While the conversation is disjoined and utterly benign it does make you think. What the hell does go in chat rooms?

There are couple of paintings to stimulate you visually while you listen to the computer generated conversation. Two brightly coloured portrait style pictures sit at opposite sides of the room. They’re kind of funky, but you find yourself continually drawn to the computer display - after all its something new and different and its rather clever.

The studio is more than just an art gallery. A small architectural firm of the same name also resides in the space. The room is well lit with natural light and the sparsely white-washed room is ascetically pleasing to be in. New Work Studio also plays host to an improvised jazz performances every couple of weeks.

New Work Studio is upstairs at 147 Cuba Street and is open Monday to Friday 10am - 5:30pm and Saturday 11am - 3pm.

By Rebecca Thomson

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