Part 2 of an ongoing gallery exchange project between Ethan frome and hair gallery, featuring artists Banana (Alexandra Spence & Moss Hopkins), Alex Gawronski, Ronnie van Hout, S.L. Pratte and Zoë Marni Robertson.
The ‘Doomsday clock’ was established in 1947 and has been maintained since. Its purpose is to indicate humanity’s proximity to global annihilation. At the time of writing, the clock registers 90 Seconds to Midnight, (89 seconds to be more accurate) the closest to catastrophe ever recorded. The artists in this exhibition acknowledge this scenario in a variety of ways, darkly humorous. And not.
This exhibition follows Part 1 of the exchange, curated by HAIR at ethan frome in April 2025. Together, the project aims to contribute to the dialogue between Sydney and Melbourne’s artist-run communities, grounded in collaboration, shared resources, and mutual support.
Time’s Up: How Soon is too Soon?
The Doomsday Clock was established in 1947, two years after the end of WWII. The instrument was The Doomsday Clock was established in 1947, two years after the end of WWII. The instrument was instigated by the Chicago Atomic Scientists in response to the Manhattan Project’s development of instigated by the Chicago Atomic Scientists in response to the Manhattan Project’s development of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Its purpose was to metaphorically indicate the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Its purpose was to metaphorically indicate the proximity of human-made catastrophe. The clock has been set back 8 times and forward 18 the proximity of human-made catastrophe. The clock has been set back 8 times and forward 18 times. The time set at its founding was 7 minutes to midnight. Today it is set at 90 (89 in fact) seconds times. The time set at its founding was 7 minutes to midnight. Today it is set at 90 (89 in fact) seconds to midnight, the closest to imminent annihilation ever registered. While there may be something to midnight, the closest to imminent annihilation ever registered. While there may be something comically hyperbolic sounding about this endeavour, it wouldn’t take much to concur that, even comically hyperbolic sounding about this endeavour, it wouldn’t take much to concur that, even from a rational perspective, human extinction seems pretty plausible. Of course, the dire geopolitical from a rational perspective, human extinction seems pretty plausible. Of course, the dire geopolitical circumstances occasioning such revelations means little to the liberal mind obsessed with its own circumstances occasioning such revelations means little to the liberal mind obsessed with its own immediate pleasures and material ‘investments’. For such a mindset, any intrusion into the space of immediate pleasures and material ‘investments’. For such a mindset, any intrusion into the space of self-absorption and individual calculation must be forestalled at all costs. self-absorption and individual calculation must be forestalled at all costs.
In this crepuscular moment one might be inclined to hide, literally or psychologically. Yet one In this crepuscular moment one might be inclined to hide, literally or psychologically. Yet one thing our age increasingly ensures is the impossibility of this desire. Widespread surveillance and thing our age increasingly ensures is the impossibility of this desire. Widespread surveillance and human monetisation mean the freer we feel ourselves to be to ‘do what we want’, the more likely human monetisation mean the freer we feel ourselves to be to ‘do what we want’, the more likely it is someone else is making a lot of money from our otherwise private peccadillos. Our personal it is someone else is making a lot of money from our otherwise private peccadillos. Our personal habits are incessantly tracked to ensnare us more wholly within the vestiges of a decrepit global habits are incessantly tracked to ensnare us more wholly within the vestiges of a decrepit global capitalism. Fleeing to that house on the hill, or house in the woods, might just turn out to be a capitalism. Fleeing to that house on the hill, or house in the woods, might just turn out to be a nightmare of isolation ironically underscored by incessant virtual intrusion. The natural self, alone, is nightmare of isolation ironically underscored by incessant virtual intrusion. The natural self, alone, is denatured, devoid of broader reference, meaning or purpose. Naturally, this lack of meaning can be denatured, devoid of broader reference, meaning or purpose. Naturally, this lack of meaning can be darkly humorous, especially if we were to merge the proverbial ‘house of horrors’ with the amateur darkly humorous, especially if we were to merge the proverbial ‘house of horrors’ with the amateur preoccupations of the hapless home improver. Psycho meets Grand Designs. preoccupations of the hapless home improver. Psycho meets Grand Designs.
In 1843 Edgar Alan Poe wrote the story ‘the Black Cat’ in which the narrator’s house burns down In 1843 Edgar Alan Poe wrote the story ‘the Black Cat’ in which the narrator’s house burns down after he perversely hangs the beloved pet of the story’s title. Anguished, but strangely emboldened after he perversely hangs the beloved pet of the story’s title. Anguished, but strangely emboldened by his deed, he intends killing his remaining cat. Challenged by his wife, the unnamed narrator kills by his deed, he intends killing his remaining cat. Challenged by his wife, the unnamed narrator kills her instead bricking her inside a basement wall. The narrator inadvertently reveals his crime while her instead bricking her inside a basement wall. The narrator inadvertently reveals his crime while boasting of the solidity of the room. Nonchalantly tapping the bricks, an uncanny human-like cry boasting of the solidity of the room. Nonchalantly tapping the bricks, an uncanny human-like cry issues from within. Aiming to flee his impending doom at the hands of the law, the subject reveals issues from within. Aiming to flee his impending doom at the hands of the law, the subject reveals instead the abjection, not only of his crime, but of his mind. A criminal believing himself exceptional instead the abjection, not only of his crime, but of his mind. A criminal believing himself exceptional finds himself literally against a wall facing down his own self-deception. Here the law prevails. Today finds himself literally against a wall facing down his own self-deception. Here the law prevails. Today law is trashed to such an extent that mass murder is not only excused but celebrated by so-called law is trashed to such an extent that mass murder is not only excused but celebrated by so-called ‘normal folk’. The liberal strikes again in their furtive desperation to avoid any culpability or care for ‘normal folk’. The liberal strikes again in their furtive desperation to avoid any culpability or care for anything outside their personal spheres of interest. anything outside their personal spheres of interest.
So abject are these twilight times that children as young as six have begun transcribing their own So abject are these twilight times that children as young as six have begun transcribing their own wills to camera, victims of imperial (in this instance, Israeli/US/Western etc.) extermination. Typically, wills to camera, victims of imperial (in this instance, Israeli/US/Western etc.) extermination. Typically, a child is immured to considerations of mortality. That comes later. Writing one’s will might also a child is immured to considerations of mortality. That comes later. Writing one’s will might also be a projection of escape to somewhere else, ‘anywhere but here’. How many tales are there of be a projection of escape to somewhere else, ‘anywhere but here’. How many tales are there of subjects faking their deaths in order to become what they’re not, a ‘new’ person living a ‘new’ life, subjects faking their deaths in order to become what they’re not, a ‘new’ person living a ‘new’ life, anonymously. Conversely, for the liberal imagination become no-one is the worst nightmare as anonymously. Conversely, for the liberal imagination become no-one is the worst nightmare as anyone worth anything is ‘someone’, right? In 1923 Duchamp faked a wanted poster for himself and anyone worth anything is ‘someone’, right? In 1923 Duchamp faked a wanted poster for himself and his various aliases. Everyone wants to be wanted. Still, it all depends on who wants and for what his various aliases. Everyone wants to be wanted. Still, it all depends on who wants and for what purpose. To be wanted for oneself or to be wanted, or hunted, for what one isn’t are very different purpose. To be wanted for oneself or to be wanted, or hunted, for what one isn’t are very different experiences usually with dramatically polarising outcomes. experiences usually with dramatically polarising outcomes.Sometimes it as if we were talking inside a tube echoing thoughts of our own insignificance, Sometimes it as if we were talking inside a tube echoing thoughts of our own insignificance, neutered by a demos gifted to oligarchs. You hear another voice which seems to echo yours neutered by a demos gifted to oligarchs. You hear another voice which seems to echo yours but remains distinct and separate. Is it my own voice in another register? Or another person? but remains distinct and separate. Is it my own voice in another register? Or another person?
Atomisation becomes a contemplative experience of interiority reflected but unheard by others, Atomisation becomes a contemplative experience of interiority reflected but unheard by others, like a chime resonating in empty space. It is like travelling through a tunnel moving predictably like a chime resonating in empty space. It is like travelling through a tunnel moving predictably forwards occasionally released to moments of un-harassed experience only to be returned to the forwards occasionally released to moments of un-harassed experience only to be returned to the chicane. Am I going straight ahead or is every turn a repetition when the path forward always looks chicane. Am I going straight ahead or is every turn a repetition when the path forward always looks weirdly identical. Am I just cyclically turning back around again and again? Emerging into the open weirdly identical. Am I just cyclically turning back around again and again? Emerging into the open air, it appears everything is reliably as it was, and yet gnawing doubt burrows, making me think I’m air, it appears everything is reliably as it was, and yet gnawing doubt burrows, making me think I’m always in the tunnel. At the conclusion of Andrzej Wajda’s 1957 film Kanal, the surviving partisans always in the tunnel. At the conclusion of Andrzej Wajda’s 1957 film Kanal, the surviving partisans simultaneously inhabiting and fleeing through Warsaw’s tepid sewers pursued by fascists, feel a cool simultaneously inhabiting and fleeing through Warsaw’s tepid sewers pursued by fascists, feel a cool breeze against their skins. They reach an exit and finally glimpse the midday sun glinting over the breeze against their skins. They reach an exit and finally glimpse the midday sun glinting over the river. The tunnel is barred and there’s no way back. river. The tunnel is barred and there’s no way back.
In the end as the clock ticks down what is left to say – “I wish for you only that which you wish for In the end as the clock ticks down what is left to say – “I wish for you only that which you wish for those whose destruction you contribute to”. those whose destruction you contribute to”.
– Alex Gawronski
IAI Institute 