Nina Gibbes
(b. 1990, Sydney. Lives and works in Melbourne)

Nina Gibbes is a graphic designer, researcher and lecturer with an interest in feminism, publication design and collaborative practice. Her work spans cultural projects, exhibitions, publications, typography, branding for not-for-profit organisations and small businesses, commissioned artworks, and music. Gibbes has a background in contemporary art and emerging art spaces, and began working as a full-time graphic designer in 2018. 

This exhibition features a selection of Gibbes’s work for galleries and other cultural initiatives, including the identity for the exhibition Destiny Disrupted, for Granville Centre Art Gallery, and the poster for Karrimarnbun Daluhdaluk (Women creating together), for Coconut Studios, as well as two of five large flags from The Disorganised Manifesto, a multifaceted project that explored alternative ways of working, outside of the hierarchical structures of art institutions and the academy. Part design research, part workshop, part artwork, The Disorganised Manifesto was a component of a larger project called Disorganising, a collaboration between Melbourne-based artist-run initiatives Liquid Architecture, West Space and Bus Projects. During the workshop, participants discussed their visions, values and desires for the futures of their organisations and communities, and each participant designed a character for a communal typeface, which was later developed into a working font. The resulting conversations were transcribed onto flags and formed The Disorganised Manifesto as an artwork to commemorate their time together. The font can be downloaded and used freely by anyone.

With a practice that predominantly services the arts communities in Melbourne and Sydney, Gibbes has a particular interest in design research and education, and how collaborative methodologies can serve diverse communities. She is also interested in sharing and highlighting the work of historically under-acknowledged designers, such as businesses led by women and designers of colour. In December 2021, Gibbes completed a Master of Communication Design at RMIT University and was the recipient of the Dean’s List Award for Communication Design.