Gear Shift

"Join us for an evening of art appreciation...with an element of surprise. Your friendly neighborhood Nuisances Gaby and Sara will be collecting small household items that you intend to donate over the course of a week. Then, they'll spend 18 hours transforming your donations into artwork."

So began the invitation to our friends to participate in Gear Shift. Little did we know when we began the project that this would evolve from a gallery piece to an immersive installation. We spent 10 days designing a set that told the story of a medieval tragedy, then executed the construction and installation in 18 hours. The moment we finished, our friends began to arrive for the art reception.

As our friends ascended the stairs in semi-darkness, they picked up a candle and read a confessional letter before entering the room. The full story was told in letters scattered around the desk that participants needed to piece together. We designed a custom scent for the room, spent hours selecting the right song, and experimented with the placement and color of the lamps. Every last detail was considered, and the lingering of our friends in the space proved our painstaking efforts worthwhile.